Refugees Schwyz government backs federal asylum center in Arth

The cantonal government of Schwyz is not opposing the planned federal asylum center in Buosingen. It rejects the postulate "No to a federal asylum center in the canton of Schwyz".

In its response on Monday to a postulate from the cantonal council, the Schwyz government wrote that a negative stance would "deprive the canton of the opportunity to exert a targeted influence on the project". The cantonal government wants to get involved "actively" and "at an early stage" in order to be able to push through its demands, it said. It wants to be "part of the solution".

In the postulate, which was submitted in April of this year, Cantonal Councillor Manuel Mächler (SVP) and 32 co-signatories demanded that the government speak out against the establishment of a federal asylum center. According to the petition, the asylum center in the municipality of Arth represents an "enormous burden" for the local population. It would have "enormous potential for acts of violence" and "considerable security risks".

The Schwyz government disagrees. It was able to obtain important assurances during negotiations with the federal government, it wrote in its response to the motion. For example, the planned asylum center at the Buosingen campsite has a capacity of 170 places, compared to 340 places at the previously planned accommodation in Wintersried in the municipality of Schwyz.

In addition, the government had ensured that no further federal asylum center would be built in the canton of Schwyz. According to the government, a second federal asylum center with 170 places would have to be located in another canton of Central Switzerland. All of these assurances would be called into question if the government were to declare the postulate to be substantial, according to the cantonal government.

The federal government purchased a plot of land in Arth for a federal asylum center in 2025. This should one day have space for 170 people. Originally, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) wanted to build a federal asylum center with 340 places for the Central Switzerland/Ticino asylum region in Wintersried. Following strong opposition, this plan was abandoned.