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© 2014 AFPEU to review Swiss ties after vote curbing immigration
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© 2014 AFP
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Deplore
Good on Switzerland! European nations have every right to protect their national identity, including their ethnic makeup. Every statistic indicates a strong correlation between increased multiculturalism and increased crime rates. It isn't a coincidence that some of the most peaceful countries are the least ethnically diverse - such as Japan, or Iceland.
rowiko68
OK, let's see: Switzerland's economy has been prospering and its unemployment rate is by far the lowest in Europe. Crime rate is low. There is a shortage of labour for high-skilled jobs, but that can be met by foreign workers. I don't think the Swiss have much to complain about. Yet the arguments put forward by the supporters is that the country is 'overrun by foreign workers who overcrowd trains and roads, take away their jobs and drain social security coffers'.
Now consider this: The largest proportions of foreigners live in the big urban areas like Zurich and Basel. Isn't it interesting then, that those who are most exposed to foreigners voted against this, realising that foreigners are actually part of the Swiss success story?
I find this whole xenophobia really sad, and I'm sure that this result will have negative implications for the country.
As a Swiss citizen (who considers himself a 'global citizen'), and who has lived abroad for many years, I'm shocked and disappointed.
@Deplore: Not sure about Japan being so 'peaceful' anymore, not with the recent rethoric aimed at neighbouring nations and the substantially increased spending on weaponry... On Iceland I could agree, though. ;)
noriyosan73
In 2012 Japan had a population growth rate of NEGATIVE 0.08 and Switzerland had a population growth rate of POSITIVE 0.2. Japan is 377,000+ square km and Switzerland is 41,000+ square km. Japan is an island, Switzerland is surrounded by countries that have people seeking to enter it. It is the right decision for Switzerland. Japan needs to look at immigration to meet its needs to pay taxes and care for the graying population.
nath
As usual EU reacts badly to any democratic vote or movement which disagrees with its neoliberal views.
davestrousers
One man's bad result is another man's good result. If you're a wealthy business or property owner who benefits from more competition in the labour market, bad result. If you're a young Swiss with a family who can't afford a house, could be a good result.
Nenad Jovanović
@ rowiko68
I think you are mistaken , all that military spending are for defense from China , who wants to become world super power, and who targeted Senkaku islands as their first big test of their greatness and big importance in the world. We all ready seen that in Philippines , where they all ready taken some small islands.
maglev101
what about singapore - chinese, malay, indians and 25% of it's labor force being foreigners?
nath
I'm swiss living in Switzerland at the moment and I voted YES. There were good reason to do so...
gelendestrasse
Personally I don't mind immigrants. My grandfather was one. Have to keep perspective, after all.
But I also have an issue with Brussels thinking it can react negatively to a democratic vote. It might be more reasonable to think about the potential problems and why the vote went the way it did and then says something. But politicians are always playing for the cameras.....
Deplore
We're talking about an extremely well governed, authoritarian city state when it comes to Singapore. I'm not saying that there aren't outliers or that it's a 1:1 correlation, but if you buy into Emile Durkheim's concept of Pre-Contractual Solidarity it makes a lot of sense. Ultimately, societies need unifying forces like nationalism, religion, or belonging to the same 'tribe' in order to function. Hence why even in 'multicultural' societies, communities will tend to segregate along ethnic lines. White neighborhoods, black neighborhoods, Chinatown, etc. We're genetically predisposed to empathizing and associating with those who resemble ourselves, both in beliefs and appearance. To try to enforce integration is fraught with peril.
As for the EU's free trade agreements with the Swiss - since when did a FTA require free movement of peoples??? When the EU negotiates FTAs with non-European entities, it's not like they require free movement clauses with them. To punish the Swiss for this decision would amount to nothing more than bullying. The EU is stuck in a catch22 - if they punish the Swiss, they stir up more anti-EU sentiment, and if they accept the Swiss decision, they embolden EU-skeptics who advocate a Europe-wide FTA but not a political union.