Politics Council of States committee calls for emergency aid law for natural disasters
The federal government should be able to provide financial aid more quickly in the event of future natural disasters. The responsible Council of States committee is calling for a law so that immediate measures and emergency aid can be provided with funds from the general federal budget.
21.11.2025, 12:24
SDA
The Environment, Energy and Spatial Planning Committee of the Council of States (Urek-S) submitted a motion to this effect by 7 votes to 3 with one abstention, as reported by the parliamentary services on Friday. Next, the Federal Council will be able to comment on it, after which it will be Parliament's turn.
Federal support in the event of natural disasters was once again on the political agenda following the devastating landslide in the Upper Valais village of Blatten. With an urgent special law, Parliament granted emergency aid amounting to five million francs.
According to the Urek-S, the Blatten case showed that the process for federal financial aid is full of hurdles. More comprehensive legal regulations are therefore needed for federal financial assistance in the event of natural disasters.
Specifically, the federal government should have more opportunities to provide direct financial aid for emergency measures and be able to draw on the general federal budget. This would mean that in future it would no longer have to resort to urgent special laws or emergency legislation.
