Northern Switzerland Only one of two initiatives by the Basel SVP has come to fruition

In the canton of Basel-Stadt, rioting demonstrators should be held liable for police costs and damage incurred. This is the demand of the SVP's Anti-Chaoten-Initiative, which has now come to fruition. The party was unable to collect enough signatures for the freedom initiative.

In a statement on Friday, the SVP Basel-Stadt regrets that "just too few valid signatures" were submitted for the Freedom Initiative. It shows that collecting signatures has become more difficult after the coronavirus pandemic.

The Freedom Initiative launched by the SVP in March 2023 called for changes to demonstration routes and a focus on permits for public spaces. This would have meant that demonstrations should have restricted trade and public transport as little as possible.

According to the party, enough signatures were collected for the anti-riot initiative, which was also launched in March 2023. The State Chancellery has finally certified the signatures, according to the communiqué.

The SVP initiative calls on the Basel government to come up with an "effective concept to reduce the high number of unauthorized demonstrations and rallies". In the case of unauthorized demonstrations, the disruptors should be liable for any police costs and damages incurred.