Switzerland rejects plan to expel foreign criminals

Voters in Switzerland have rejected a proposal to automatically expel foreigners who commit even low-level crimes, early projections suggest.

Swiss public broadcaster Swiss Radio and Television (SRF) cited research group gps.bern, which projected the measure would be rejected by 59% of voters based on partial result from polling areas.

The proposal to automatically deport foreigners who commit minor crimes was proposed by Switzerland’s right-wing anti-migrant People’s Party (SVP). The proposal sought to expel any foreigner found guilty of crimes usually punishable with short jail sentences or fines such as giving false testimony or carrying drugs.

The party launched an initiative "For the effective expulsion of foreign criminals," promoted by posters reading “Finally, create security!” and showing a “white” sheep on top of the national flag kicking away a “black” sheep.

The vote comes amid growing unease at rising migration and the problems which, the party says, come with it.

The proposal was opposed by the government, parliament, and major political parties, which warned the move would circumvent the "fundamental rules" of democracy.

The Federal Council, Switzerland's major executive body, dubbed SVP’s initiative “inhuman, because it treats the roughly 2 million foreigners who live in Switzerland as second-class citizens.”

Opponents also warned that the law would create a two-tier justice system unfairly targeting foreigners, who make up around 25% of Switzerland's population

Almost two million foreign passport holders live permanently and legally in Switzerland, but as gaining Swiss nationality is a complicated and expensive procedure, and is not conferred automatically at birth, these foreign nationals include many who have never lived outside of Switzerland.

The Swiss government says only two in every 100 foreigners living in Switzerland have been granted Swiss citizenship.

As of mid-Sunday, the voters were seen as likely to reject the proposal, according to initial exit poll data by SRF. A projection by the gfs.bern polling institute suggested that 59% of voters said "No" to the proposal. The official result is expected later on Sunday.

Sunday's vote comes six years after more than half of Swiss voters backed a similar poll strengthening rules to automatically expel foreign nationals convicted of violent or sexual crimes.

SVP's campaign initially garnered strong support but appears to have lost some steam among voters.

More than 50,000 people, including hundreds of celebrities, signed a petition against the proposal.