Grand Council BE Bernese municipalities should be able to grant foreigners the right to vote

In future, Bernese municipalities should be able to decide for themselves whether to grant foreign nationals the right to vote. The Grand Council has adopted an inter-party motion. The people have the final say.

Parliament approved the motion on Tuesday with 77 votes in favor, 73 against and one abstention.

The motion, submitted by the SP-Juso, Green, EVP and GLP parliamentary groups, called for the optional introduction of voting rights for foreign nationals at municipal level. The petitioners argued, among other things, that democratic participation and municipal autonomy are of great value.

"It is very important for a democracy that people have a say," said Anna Tanner on behalf of the SP/Juso parliamentary group. "We are dependent on people being involved in life. At municipal level, it is usually not about particular interests, but about having a say.

The Greens/AL parliamentary group considers it "out of date" that municipal co-determination is only possible through naturalization, according to spokesperson Christa Ammann (AL).

"The right to co-determination is of great importance for a democracy," said Hannes Zaugg-Graf for the GLP parliamentary group. "It opens the door to the democratic process." Moreover, the people then have the final say.

Naturalization is the right way to go

"Political participation is not a human right," said Walter Schilt from the SVP parliamentary group. Foreign nationals have the option of naturalization for political participation.

Pauline Pauli from the FDP parliamentary group argued similarly: "For us, naturalization is the right way to go." The proposal was also too broad.

The Center Group was also against the proposal. Although it decided to abstain from voting, it voted almost consistently against it. With the help of the GLP and EVP, however, the left-wing camp managed to get the motion through.

In favor of municipal autonomy

The Bernese government had requested acceptance. "The cantonal government attaches great importance to the principle of municipal autonomy," said State Secretary Christoph Auer. As recently as 2020, it had spoken out against voting rights for foreigners. In 2010, the proposal was resoundingly rejected at the ballot box.

As the introduction of optional communal voting rights for foreigners requires a partial revision of the Bernese cantonal constitution and municipal law, the Grand Council will once again consider the project. In the end, the people will decide.

Already a reality in other cantons

According to the Federal Constitution, the cantons are generally authorized to regulate voting rights at cantonal and communal level themselves.

In the cantons of Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Jura and Vaud, people from abroad already have full voting rights at communal level under certain conditions, such as a minimum period of residence. In the canton of Geneva, they may take part in municipal elections and votes, but may not be nominated for election themselves.

In German-speaking Switzerland, the cantons of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Basel Stadt and Graubünden have optional voting rights for foreigners.

SDA