Swiss lower house backs tighter asylum rules, calls for new strategy

GENEVA

Switzerland’s lower house of parliament approved a motion on Wednesday calling for tougher asylum policies, including measures aimed at reducing the number of asylum applications and tightening family reunification rules.

The proposals, introduced by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP), urged the federal government to develop a new national asylum strategy.

Under the plan, authorities would seek to significantly lower the number of asylum requests and related public spending, accelerate asylum and appeal procedures, and increase the number of rejected applicants returned to their countries of origin.

The motion was adopted at an extraordinary parliamentary session on security issues in which lawmakers debated 14 different proposals.

An identical motion tabled by the SVP was approved by the upper chamber, the Council of States, a day earlier. Because both chambers have now supported the initiative, its final approval is largely considered procedural.

Another proposal from the same party calling for up to 10-day curfews or detention for uncooperative asylum seekers in federal asylum centers also gained backing.

Lawmakers also endorsed several additional measures during the session, including a proposal to make protest organizers cover certain security costs, and a motion to simplify procedures for repeat offenders without legal residency status.

A separate motion aimed at improving protections for victims of gender-based violence without residency permits was also approved.