Advertisement

Living in Switzerland For Members

Swiss cantons mull civilian protection service for foreigners

Sandra Sparrowhawk
Sandra Sparrowhawk - [email protected]
Swiss cantons mull civilian protection service for foreigners
Members of the Swiss army. Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / POOL / AFP

Swiss authorities want foreign nationals who live in the country to be well integrated. But could this mean they will soon have to carry out civil protection service? Two cantons are considering the possibility.

Advertisement

All able-bodied Swiss men from the age of 18 until 30 are required to serve in the armed forces or in its alternative, the civilian protection service.

Thus far, foreign citizens living in Switzerland have been exempt from joining the country’s armed forces, civil service and civilian protection service, but according to the Luzerner Zeitung, two cantons are now looking to change that. The reason: the number of men (and women) in Switzerland’s civilian defence has been declining, enough for its Federal Council to express concern over the prevailing staff shortage.

Switzerland’s Federal Council is currently reviewing a possible change in the law with various proposals being up for discussion. Among them, the suggestion by cantons Nidwalden and Zug that foreigners with a permanent residence permit should be subject to civilian protection service – just like Swiss men.

Civilian protection service - or civil defence - provides protection, care and support to the Swiss society and is regulated on a cantonal level. Civilian protection service is often performed by Swiss men who are declared unfit for military service, but who are fit enough for civilian protection service.

The service is not to be confused with Switzerland's civil service.

READ MORE: Reader question: Do foreigners have to do military service in Switzerland?

However, the opinions of Switzerland’s political parties on the subject differ.

While Zug’s SP party said it was open for discussion, its co-president Zari Dzaferi remarked that it wouldn’t be fair to impose such a duty on foreigners if they have no political rights and that if that were the case, Switzerland should also look at having women join its civil protection service.

However, Dzaferi feels that obligatory civilian protection service for foreign residents may help with integration.

Meanwhile, Nidwalden’s SVP agrees that the medium-term proposals are understandable, and the corresponding examination will show how practicable the suggestion is.

Its president Roland Blättler said that while civilian protection service could help foreigners integrate, so can joining the fire brigade or doing voluntary work – but that women joining the nation’s civil service may well be worth a discussion. Zug’s SVP president Thomas Werner also agreed with Blättler on the integration issue.

READ MORE: Reader question: Do I have to help the fire brigade in Switzerland if I'm called up?

Advertisement

While various solutions to the issue have been discussed at federal level for months, the canton of Aargau announced an obligatory information event last year where it said it will expect some 3,800 residents – including Swiss women and foreigners - to show up, or pay a 500-franc fine. The future event will focus not only on serving in the military and civilian service, but also broader civilian protection, such as the fire brigade or Samaritan associations.

Advertisement

The canton of Lucerne is planning a similar event aimed at Swiss women and foreign residents.

In 2021, Switzerland already extended the length of time for when compulsory service for members of the civilian protection service from 12 to 14 years to ensure that enough civilian protection service officers were available. Over that period participants need to carry out 245 days of service.

The law still has to go through a second reading. If there is still a majority in parliament and no referendum is held, then there will be the first mandatory information events in Aargau in 2024.

*This story has been corrected since it was originally published to show that the cantons were considering introducing civilian protection service for foreigners and not military service as we wrote originally. We apologise for the error.

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also