Meeting of the Council of the Swiss Abroad

An election manifesto setting out demands concerning the Swiss community abroad was the main item on the agenda at the meeting of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA) on 21 March 2015. The eight-point manifesto exclusively contains issues that have concerned the Swiss Abroad for years. A key matter is nationwide electronic voting (e-voting) to make it easier to exercise political rights.

By 64 votes to 2, the Council adopted the response of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad as part of the consultation process on the amendment to the Foreign Nationals Act required for the implementation of the initiative on mass immigration. The response expressly called for the free movement of persons with the EU to be continued. Suspension of the free movement of persons would have direct implications for the almost 450,000 Swiss Abroad living in the European Union. The Council of the Swiss Abroad previously adopted a resolution on the free movement of persons in 2011.

Once again the question as to whether the CSA should be directly elected in future instead of by the Swiss societies provoked a fierce debate. No decision was reached on this matter.