Swiss vote to relax citizenship for ‘third generation foreigners’

People in Switzerland have voted to make it easier for “third-generation foreigners” to get Swiss citizenship.

But they rejected a complex tax reform initiative aimed at bringing Switzerland in line with international standards.

The “simplified naturalisation of third-generation immigrants” measure passed in a national referendum with 60.4 per cent of the votes, Swiss broadcaster SRF reported.

It simplifies applications for anyone under 25 whose parents and grandparents have lived in Switzerland for years.

The measure gives young people who qualify the same fast-track, simplified access to Swiss citizenship that foreign spouses of Swiss nationals often enjoy.

SRF reported that 59.1 per cent of voters rejected the tax reform measure, which would have scrapped a two-track tax system that offers lower rates to foreign firms to lure investment.

Experts say the tax initiative’s failure means that overall rates are likely to be set higher – which would be a disincentive to companies that bring in jobs and ultimately tax revenues.

Many domestic companies, meanwhile, could see their tax rates go down.

Critics including regional governmentleadersandmuch of the political left had said the initiative would deplete tax coffers for an uncertain payoff.

Proponents countered that the reforms were needed to keep competitive a country that has few exportable natural resources and relies heavily on globalised industries such as finance and pharmaceuticals.

The citizenship initiative affects just under 25,000 people but the long-term implications are far-reaching. Roughly one-fourth of Switzerland’s total population of 8.2 million is foreign-born, one of the highest such percentages in Europe.

Switzerland, which is not in the European Union but is all but surrounded by bloc members, has been taking in foreigners for centuries.

As in some other parts of Europe, being born in Switzerland does not automatically confer Swiss citizenship.

The “third-generation foreigners” initiative strikes at a Europe-wide dilemma about howbesttointegratenewcomers, but generally involves people from elsewhere in Europe or Turkey whose families have been in the Alpine nation for decades.

It does not apply to migrants and refugees from Africa and the Middle East who have poured into Europe in recent years, sparking a backlash among the political far-right.

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