Zurich mayor Corine Mauch plans to launch an initiative to give foreigners living in Switzerland’s most populous canton the right to take part in local votes and elections.
Described by the newspaper as a “surprise”, Mauch’s idea is to get the initiative to cantonal parliament before giving individual municipalities the right to decide whether to grant foreign residents the vote in local ballots.
“Almost a third of the city’s population has no voting rights, and among 30-39-year-olds – the largest age group – it’s around a half,” she said. “In a very active phase of their life, these people have no decision-making power”.
If approved by the cantonal parliament, the constitutional amendment would be put to a public vote in a few years’s from now.
After two years
Mauch proposes that foreigners resident in Switzerland for two years be given limited rights, arguing that such participation improves both integration and democratic processes.
In 2013, a similar initiative to give the vote to non-Swiss in canton Zurich – in this case, those resident for ten years – was rejected by three-quarters of voters.
Eight of the 26 cantons and some 600 municipalities, notably in French-speaking western Switzerland , offer voting rights to non-Swiss passport holders, who represent a quarter of the total population of over eight million.
More
More
Zurich wants to ease political participation for non-Swiss
This content was published on
Switzerland’s biggest city attracts many expatriates. But it does not grant them any say in political matters in a country proud of its democracy.
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
Swiss medical device maker Ypsomed to sell diabetes business
This content was published on
Bern-based injection device manufacturer Ypsomed announced on Tuesday that it was selling its diabetes-related activities.
Award-winning Swiss author and scholar Peter von Matt dies aged 87
This content was published on
The Alemannic writer and former professor of German literature Peter von Matt died on Monday in Zurich at the age of 87, following a long illness.
Swiss foreign minister spoke with Iranian counterpart about US dialogue
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has spoken with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi about the current dialogue between the US and Iran.
Swiss foreign minister appeals for cohesion and dialogue at Expo in Japan
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis called for cohesion and dialogue at the opening of the Swiss National Day at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, on Tuesday.
Switzerland postpones launch of emergency number for domestic violence victims
This content was published on
The launch of the “142” emergency number, which aims to help victims of domestic violence in Switzerland, has been postponed to May 2026.
This content was published on
Swiss insurers Baloise and Helvetia have announced plans to merge into one company, becoming the largest employer in the Swiss insurance sector.
Swiss pharma giant Roche to invest $50bn in US within five years
This content was published on
After Novartis, fellow Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche plans to invest up to $50 billion in the US over the next five years.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Foreigners in Switzerland shunning the ballot boxes
This content was published on
Research focusing on elections in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel finds that foreigners, even when eligible, tend to be less involved in civic life.
Will letting foreigners vote revitalise St Moritz?
This content was published on
One of Christian Jott Jenny's first proposals as mayor of the exclusive Swiss resort is to give voting rights to foreign residents.
This content was published on
“Swiss living abroad are also foreigners in their countries of residency. They often have a firm view of what’s happening in Switzerland, and at the same time they take part in political life in their adopted countries,” Walter Leimgruber, President of the Federal Migration Commission, pointed out at a recent event. Leimgruber’s conclusion is that…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.