MPs in Switzerland are pushing for new arrivals in the country to be obliged to attend integration courses to learn “Swiss values” that they claim would help prevent incidents of domestic violence.
MPs in the Swiss Parliament are now considering a motion, first put forward in December 2025 to amend the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration (FNIA).
If passed it would require immigrants to attend courses that would help avoid incidents of “domestic violence or violence against women and children.”
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A matter of integration
According to the Centre Party MPs who have spearheaded the motion, “upon arrival, foreign nationals must attend integration courses covering domestic violence, the rights of victims, as well as the civil, criminal, and immigration consequences of such acts.”
The National Council’s Committee on Political Institutions, which examined this move, is on board.
Some foreign nationals, it said, are often “insufficiently informed about the fundamental values and rules in force in Switzerland. It is therefore important to carry out preventive work with these individuals as early as possible.”
The MPs behind the proposal also added that these courses “shall be mandatory in all integration programmes at the federal, cantonal, and communal levels.”
The motion also calls for the Federal Council to outline the consequences for violating these integration rules on the offenders’ legal status in Switzerland – that is, on their right to residence and naturalisation.
Deportation for non-compliance should also be included as a possibility, they said.
“Effective prevention must begin early, as some serious violent crimes are committed by individuals who are not sufficiently informed about the fundamental values applicable in Switzerland,” the motion states.
In February 2026, the Federal Council decided to adopt this measure should both the National Council and the Council of States vote in favour – read more about this below.
What the figures show
According to Swiss media Blick, Official statistics (which were obtained from the Federal Council at the request of hard-right Swiss People’s Party MP) do indicate that the rates of individuals suspected of domestic violence are proportionally higher among foreign residents than among Swiss citizens.
An analysis of prevalence rates per 10,000 residents reveals that foreign men have the highest rate – 33.3 – followed by foreign women (13.2), Swiss men (12.6), and Swiss women (4.4).
Possible explanations of why this is the case vary depending on political affiliations.
The anti-foreigner Swiss People’s Party blame incidents of this kind of violence on the migration background of the perpetrators, whilst MPs on the opposite side of the political spectrum attribute such acts more to “socioeconomic status”.
According to Social Democrat Tamara Funiciello, “financial problems linked to low wages or cramped housing—which disproportionately affect foreigners—tend to foster conflict situations.”
Supporters of the motion believe that making new arrivals aware of the country’s laws around domestic violence and abuse – as well as the legal consequences thereof – would help prevent some acts.
Among the many rules relating to domestic and sexual violence that are included in the so-called ‘integration contract’ which many immigrants to Switzerland must sign (and comply with throughout their stay) are these points:
Respect laws and don’t commit offences
Men and women are equal
The law prevails over religion
READ MORE: What is Switzerland’s ‘integration contract’ and do all foreigners have to sign it?
What’s next for this motion?
For now, deputies will continue to discuss it.
Once both chambers of the parliament approve the bid, the Parliament will prepare a draft bill, which would be put – in one form or another- to a public vote.
But that is not going to happen for a while as the debate is only beginning .
