Switzerland to vote on automatic expulsion of foreigners
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A poster against the initiative to deport foreign criminals is seen on a door in Bern, Switzerland, on February 1, 2016. ©Reuters
People in Switzerland are set to cast their ballots in a referendum on whether to automatically deport foreigners who commit minor crimes.
According to Press TV, the anti-immigration Swiss People’s Party (SVP), which holds about a third of seats in the Alpine country’s parliament, put forward the initiative dubbed the “Enforcement Initiative.”
The proposal, which will be put to vote later on Sunday by Switzerland’s voting population of roughly 5.3 million, calls for the approval of a two-level plan for dealing with foreign criminals.
Under the measure, those who commit offenses such as armed robbery or rape would be immediately deported after serving their jail term. Those committing lesser crimes could also be expelled if it is their second violation within a 10-year time span.
Critics argue that the initiative would make expulsions an administrative formality and strip judges of their ability to weigh the merits of individual cases.
Meanwhile, the Federal Council, Switzerland’s seven-member executive body, has described the measure as “inhuman,” saying it treats the country’s approximately two million foreigners like “second-class citizens.”
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