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The high asylum numbers will also remain a problem for the new Justice Minister Beat Jans. The parties’ expectations remain high.
Justice Minister Beat Jans has to tackle one of the most difficult tasks in the Federal Council: the asylum dossier. For the new SP Federal Council, the high asylum numbers will be a tough nut to crack – as they were for his predecessor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, who had a difficult time with the SVP.
The issue of immigration remains central for the SVP. That’s why the party continues to put pressure on him. “Every year tens of thousands of asylum migrants come to Switzerland because they have a better life here than in Africa or the Arab region, where they come from,” says SVP parliamentary group leader Thomas Aeschi. “The SVP expects Federal Councilor Jans to stop this asylum tourism and bring the asylum numbers down to a maximum of 5,000 applications per year.”
Countries of origin do not accept compatriots back
But the numbers tell a different story: last year, 30,000 people applied for asylum in Switzerland. And the federal government expects a similarly high number for the current year. Many asylum seekers stay in Switzerland even though their asylum application has been rejected – because the countries of origin do not take them back.
We must now seek targeted solutions with these states and not just keep saying it can’t be done.
The FDP demands that these countries take back more compatriots. “We expect a tough but fair implementation of the asylum policy,” says FDP Councilor of States Damian Müller. “The same goes with Eritrea, with Algeria. We now have to look for targeted solutions with these states and not just keep saying it doesn’t work.”
Clear demands from the citizens of the new SP justice minister.
Leftists with different expectations
But the left also has high expectations – albeit in a completely different direction. Sibel Arslan, National Councilor for the Greens/BS, says: “The Greens expect Federal Councilor Beat Jans to advocate for genuine humanitarian asylum policy. And that he is committed to safe asylum routes.”
The SP also expects something similar from its justice minister: “Federal Councilor Beat Jans will defend the right to asylum against constant attacks,” the party states. “People who are fleeing war and risking their lives should be able to find refuge in Switzerland.”
Political scientist: Room for maneuver is limited
What does the future asylum policy look like? The parties have different ideas about what priorities the new justice minister should set.
The scope for action is limited. (…) Migration flows, refugee movements, they do not depend on Swiss domestic politics.
But Georg Lutz, professor of political science at the University of Lausanne, points out: “The scope for action is limited. At least it is much smaller than the sometimes heated political debate in Switzerland suggests. Migration flows, refugee movements, they do not depend on Swiss domestic politics.”