Switzerland’s parliament has voted to make it harder for dual nationals to sidestep the country’s military obligations, reported RTS. On Wednesday the National Council adopted, in amended form, a motion already approved by the upper house. It will now return to the Council of States, Switzerland’s parliament, for further consideration.
The original proposal, put forward by Mauro Poggia, a Geneva lawmaker, was aimed chiefly at Franco-Swiss citizens. Under current arrangements, some are able to to attend a one-day session in France in place of Swiss military service. Parliament has gone further, however, extending the principle to all Swiss dual nationals. In future, service performed abroad would count only if it is deemed equivalent to Switzerland’s own military service. Failing that, those concerned would be required to pay the full exemption tax levied on those who do not serve, an extra 3 percentage points of tax.
The Federal Council opposed the move. Martin Pfister, the defence minister, argued that the loss of potential Swiss military recruits is only meaningful among dual nationals with French citizenship. Over the past decade, an average of 731 dual nationals a year avoided the Swiss armed forces by attending a one-day session in France. The government signalled its willingness to negotiate specifically with Paris rather than revisit Switzerland’s arrangements with the seven other countries that offer similar options, on the grounds that the numbers involved there are negligible. Whether parliament will accept that distinction now rests with the Council of States, Switzerland’s upper chamber.
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RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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