Asylum National Council does not want family reunification for temporarily admitted persons

Temporarily admitted persons should no longer be allowed to bring family members to Switzerland. This was decided by the National Council in an extraordinary session on the subject of asylum and a motion by the SVP parliamentary group was adopted. This will now go to the Council of States.

The National Council approved the motion by 105 votes to 74, with nine abstentions, against the wishes of the Federal Council. The latter recalled the fundamental right to respect for family life.

Temporarily admitted persons have no right to asylum in Switzerland and their stay in the country must be short, said SVP spokesperson Thomas Knutti (BE). If their family were allowed to join them, they would "never leave Switzerland again". "We are simply too attractive." The SVP, FDP and several members of the center group voted for the motion.

The motion would hardly have any effect, warned Justice Minister Beat Jans. The right to family life is enshrined in the constitution and has been repeatedly recognized by the Federal Court and the European Court of Human Rights. The hurdles for family reunification are already high.

SDA