SVP wants to reduce immigration to Switzerland with a surprising measure

At the beginning of the year, the SVP tried to activate the protective clause against high immigration to Switzerland. National Councilor Magdalena Martullo-Blocher said on Tuesday evening in Zurich at a discussion event about the new EU contract package.

The audience took note of the statement. So far, nobody had known about the SVP plan: According to the People's Party, the state government should have taken measures to reduce immigration.

Specifically, the People's Party became active in the foreign policy commission of the National Council. Martullo-Blocher is not a member of this committee, but took part in the meeting in mid-January-as a replacement for an absent party colleague. The SVP made the application that Switzerland puts the protective clause into force.

Federal Council is currently working on new implementation

SVP National Councilor Franz Grüter belongs to the Foreign Policy Commission and explains on request: «Immigration to Switzerland is extremely high and the 2014 mass immigration initiative is still not implemented. The Federal Council should therefore immediately try to activate the protective clause. »

In Article 14 of the Agreement on the Free of Persons, it says: In the case of “serious economic or social problems”, the mixed committee summarizes at the request of a contracting party to “examine suitable remedial measures.” This provision is vague. In the new contract with Brussels, the protective clause should become more gripper. The Federal Council is currently working on a domestic implementation in the foreigner law, which Switzerland decides independently.

SP National Councilor Eric Nussbaumer has little understanding that the SVP is becoming active on the matter right now. «Should you call the protective clause while the new contract package between Switzerland and the EU is finalized? That would be gross nonsense. The SVP is only about torpedoing the contracts. »

The criticism also predominates in the other parties. FDP National Councilor Simon Michel is a member of the foreign policy and emphasizes that the current protective clause cannot be called unilaterally. On the basis of the « gratifying negotiation result between Switzerland and the EU to Bilateral III », Switzerland can « newly unilaterally » activate a protective clause.

Middle national councilor Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter, meanwhile, underlines that according to applicable law, the protective clause only allows immigration to be restricted in the event of serious economic or social problems. « These prerequisites are not met in Switzerland today, » she says. Corresponding applications would therefore have to be rejected. All the more important are the bilateral III, with which the EU of Switzerland now gives more scope with a clarification of this protective clause to restrict immigration. « A consent to the bilateral III is therefore also in the interest of the SVP. »

Immigration to Switzerland has decreased slightly

Magdalena Martullo-Blocher doubted on the podium in Zurich that the new protective clause would have any effect. In the SVP you can see the clause as an ineffective pulley; Most of the disadvantage of the contract package – the loss of sovereignty – should weigh up and thus contribute to a yes of the vocal cord.

The foreign resident population in Switzerland rose by 83,400 people last year. In 2023, the net immigration was 99,000 people. So there was a decrease of 16 percent; However, immigration is still significantly higher than in the five years before pandemic.

Martullo-Blocher points out that the protective clause agreed in the EU contract literally is the one that is already in the free movement agreement. « The underlying conditions » serious economic or social problems « have not been and are not fulfilled. »

It remains unclear why the SVP now wants to fall back on the clause. In any case, the party's application has failed in the responsible commission.