Parliament again rejects extra funding for refugee housing

Opponents of extra funding for refugee accommodation argued that not all existing space has been used up. © Keystone / Gaetan Bally

The Senate has for a third time voted against extra funding to build temporary accommodation for the mounting number of refugees coming to Switzerland.

The government had asked for CHF66.5 million ($73.7 million) to build so-called ‘container villages’ on military land.

The funding request had dropped in half from the original CHF132.9 million that the government said it needed to house refugees.

The House of Representatives had agreed to the original funding request, but the Senate has repeatedly refused to approve the credit.

During debates, some politicians argued that there is still enough space available without building new container villages.

In instances where parliamentary chambers cannot agree on funding matters, the decision that involves less public outlay takes precedent.

Last year Switzerland registered 24,500 asylum-seekers, which was 64% more than the previous year. This excludes some 75,000 Ukrainian refugees, who received a special protection status through an accelerated registration process.

Refugee numbers this year are estimated anywhere between 27,000 and 40,000.