Double-barrelled surnames used to be common in Switzerland but have not been permitted for a decade.
The Federal Council has now backed a proposal that should make all possible name combinations possible: for example, Widmer Schmid, Schmid Widmer (with or without a hyphen), or just Widmer or Schmid.
The proposal states that married couples should be free to choose what they call themselves, even if they don’t agree.
In the relevant parliamentary commissions, parliamentarians have been pondering this name revolution for years.
Now the government is also proposing a change to make choice of names easy and free in the future. Ingrid Ryser from the Federal Office of Justice says rigid rules currently make things unnecessarily complicated.
Under the proposal, children would also be allowed double-barrelled surnames (i.e. the names of both parents), even if the parents are unmarried.
But there is resistance from right-wing and centrist politicians. The Centre Party supports greater choice. “But it is also clear that families must decide in one direction or another,” said Centre Party President Philipp Bregy. “It cannot be the case that parents and children all have a different names.”
The name change proposal has gone out for consultation among interested parties before a parliamentary vote.
Many questions are still open: for example, what naming options are available to couples who bring a double name into their marriage.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, almost three-quarters of all women currently take their husband’s name when they get married.
More
More
Double surname for married couples could make a comeback in Switzerland
This content was published on
The Legal Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives has adopted a draft text allowing for the possibility of giving a double name to children.
This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles. You can find them here.
If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.
External Content
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Almost finished… We need to confirm your email address. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
Swiss study: insects mainly migrate at midday and dusk
This content was published on
A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October
This content was published on
The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
Dortmund’s Kobel is first Swiss goalie in Champions League final
This content was published on
Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel has achieved history by becoming the first Swiss goalkeeper to reach a Champion’s League final.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
This content was published on
Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
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.