Parliament has rejected a government proposal to ease restrictions on the sale of property to non-resident foreigners.
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The Senate on Wednesday called on the cabinet to draft a new amendment including special regulations for holiday homes in tourist areas.
Opponents of the government moves warned that abolishing the constraints, which were first introduced 45 years ago, could trigger a wave of speculation on the property market.
However, Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said a new proposal was unlikely to include new elements.
The Senate call follows a similar decision by the House of Representatives in March.
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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.