Fundamental rights National Council in favor of remaining in the Human Rights Convention

The National Council does not want to denounce the European Convention on Human Rights. On Tuesday, it rejected a corresponding SVP parliamentary group motion.

The large chamber reached its decision by 121 votes to 65 with one abstention. Only one vote in favor came from outside the SVP parliamentary group. The SVP's demand is not off the table following the National Council's rejection. An identical motion is on the agenda of the Council of States on Wednesday.

Specifically, the SVP demanded the denunciation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) at the earliest possible date. The background to this is last year's ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of the climate seniors. The Court ruled that Switzerland had not fulfilled its human rights obligations with regard to climate protection.

"If you start letting courts decide on political maxims, you are undermining democracy," wrote the SVP in the motion's explanatory statement. In the summer session, both councils criticized the climate ruling in declarations with similar arguments. However, a dismissal went too far for a majority in the National Council.