Switzerland’s House of Representatives has backed a series of proposals aimed at tightening the country’s asylum and migration policies, including changes affecting Afghan women and dual nationals convicted of serious crimes. The measures were approved during an extraordinary parliamentary session on the European Union and asylum.
Among the measures approved on Thursday was a proposal to change Switzerland’s current approach to asylum applications from Afghan women and girls. The motion calls for applications to be assessed individually rather than applicants being generally considered eligible for asylum under the practice introduced in 2023. Those who do not receive asylum could instead be granted provisional admission status. The proposal passed by 101 votes to 84.
Lawmakers also supported a motion seeking to allow Swiss citizenship to be withdrawn from dual nationals convicted of the most serious crimes or terrorism, followed by their deportation.
Another measure, approved by 126 votes to 64, calls for targeted sanctions against countries that refuse to cooperate with Switzerland in accepting the return of rejected asylum seekers. It also seeks a legal basis for negotiating arrangements with countries considered safe.
The House separately backed a Swiss People’s Party motion calling on the government to oppose proposed changes to European Union rules governing unemployment benefits for cross-border workers.
The Federal Council had recommended rejecting all nine motions considered during the session. Justice Minister Beat Jans argued during the debate that asylum applications had been declining for three consecutive years and that the backlog of pending cases had fallen substantially.
The measures approved by the House are not yet final policy. They will now go before Switzerland’s Council of States, the upper chamber of parliament, for consideration.