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| Swiss immigration: Switzerland backs quotas on migrants as referendum 'receives approval by narrowest of margins' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Relations between Switzerland and the rest of Europe have been plunged into confusion after the Swiss appeared to have voted in favour of a ceiling on foreign migrants – including citizens of the EU. | Relations between Switzerland and the rest of Europe have been plunged into confusion after the Swiss appeared to have voted in favour of a ceiling on foreign migrants – including citizens of the EU. |
| Against all expectations, early counts suggested narrow approval of a referendum proposal to stop “mass migration” which will tear up agreements with the EU on free movement of people and goods. | Against all expectations, early counts suggested narrow approval of a referendum proposal to stop “mass migration” which will tear up agreements with the EU on free movement of people and goods. |
| The proposal, tabled by the right-wing populist party the Democratic Union of Centre (UDC), had been fiercely condemned by Swiss business groups and opposed by the federal parliament, president and government. | The proposal, tabled by the right-wing populist party the Democratic Union of Centre (UDC), had been fiercely condemned by Swiss business groups and opposed by the federal parliament, president and government. |
| The referendum result obliges Switzerland to impose unspecified, annual ceilings on all foreign migrants, including Britons and other EU citizens and daily cross-border commuters from France, Italy and Germany. Such limits would breach “open borders” treaties signed with Brussels which also allow Swiss goods to circulate freely within Europe and give Swiss business the right to bid for government contracts in the 28 EU countries. | The referendum result obliges Switzerland to impose unspecified, annual ceilings on all foreign migrants, including Britons and other EU citizens and daily cross-border commuters from France, Italy and Germany. Such limits would breach “open borders” treaties signed with Brussels which also allow Swiss goods to circulate freely within Europe and give Swiss business the right to bid for government contracts in the 28 EU countries. |
| The Swiss political scientist Pascal Sciarini said today that the country faced economic “chaos” because all its diplomatic and commercial agreements with the EU would have to be renegotiated from scratch. Over half of all Swiss exports go to the European Union. | The Swiss political scientist Pascal Sciarini said today that the country faced economic “chaos” because all its diplomatic and commercial agreements with the EU would have to be renegotiated from scratch. Over half of all Swiss exports go to the European Union. |
| The UDC argued that migration, currently running at 80,000 people a year, threatened to swamp the culture and identity of Switzerland. The country has a population of 8,000,000, of whom one in four were born abroad. | The UDC argued that migration, currently running at 80,000 people a year, threatened to swamp the culture and identity of Switzerland. The country has a population of 8,000,000, of whom one in four were born abroad. |
| Unless ceilings abolished by a previous referendum in 2000 were re-established, the UDC said, Swiss housing, health, education and transport services would collapse under the pressure from the foreign “invasion”. The “yes” campaign’s posters showed black legs striding purposefully over a Swiss flag – recalling the party’s much criticised poster in a 2009 referendum showing white sheep ejecting a black sheep from Switzerland. | Unless ceilings abolished by a previous referendum in 2000 were re-established, the UDC said, Swiss housing, health, education and transport services would collapse under the pressure from the foreign “invasion”. The “yes” campaign’s posters showed black legs striding purposefully over a Swiss flag – recalling the party’s much criticised poster in a 2009 referendum showing white sheep ejecting a black sheep from Switzerland. |
| Although the party was again accused of using the race card, the most dramatic effect of the referendum result will be to scramble relations between Switzerland and its neighbours and ethnic cousins in Germany, France and Italy. | Although the party was again accused of using the race card, the most dramatic effect of the referendum result will be to scramble relations between Switzerland and its neighbours and ethnic cousins in Germany, France and Italy. |
| Yves Nidegger of the UDC said that a majority of Swiss people had rejected the “alarmist” tactics of business and mainstream parties who had warned that the “ten plagues of Egypt ” would strike the country if it voted “yes”. | Yves Nidegger of the UDC said that a majority of Swiss people had rejected the “alarmist” tactics of business and mainstream parties who had warned that the “ten plagues of Egypt ” would strike the country if it voted “yes”. |
| Far from taking their revenge by ejecting Switzerland from its EU trade agreements, he said, many European countries would soon follow the “respectable and exemplary” Swiss lead and impose their own curbs on free movement of people within Europe. | Far from taking their revenge by ejecting Switzerland from its EU trade agreements, he said, many European countries would soon follow the “respectable and exemplary” Swiss lead and impose their own curbs on free movement of people within Europe. |
| Martine Brunschwing-Graf, president of the federal commission against racism, used another biblical image to make the opposite argument. She said that Switzerland had suffered “ten lean years” after it refused to join the EU single market in 1992. Its economy had boomed since it reversed the decision in 2002. | Martine Brunschwing-Graf, president of the federal commission against racism, used another biblical image to make the opposite argument. She said that Switzerland had suffered “ten lean years” after it refused to join the EU single market in 1992. Its economy had boomed since it reversed the decision in 2002. |
| “Now we are throwing away our good fortune,” she said. | “Now we are throwing away our good fortune,” she said. |
| Under the Swiss constitution, a referendum needs both a majority of cantons and a simple majority of the popular vote to pass. The proposition “against mass racism” easily won a majority of cantons. The polling institute GfS estimated that the “yes” had won 50.4 per cent of the popular vote – compared to only 43 per cent in favour in the final opinion polls. | Under the Swiss constitution, a referendum needs both a majority of cantons and a simple majority of the popular vote to pass. The proposition “against mass racism” easily won a majority of cantons. The polling institute GfS estimated that the “yes” had won 50.4 per cent of the popular vote – compared to only 43 per cent in favour in the final opinion polls. |