Foreigners living in Switzerland rarely exercise their right to vote despite the eligibility, a mystifying trend.
In the picturesque canton of Fribourg, Switzerland, a new initiative is underway to boost political participation among foreign residents. The 'Your Vote Counts' campaign aims to encourage foreigners with a C-permit and at least five years of residency to exercise their right to vote in upcoming municipal elections.
Foreign residents in Switzerland, who make up approximately 27% of the total population, have been historically underrepresented in the political process. This is particularly true in the canton of Fribourg, where, despite nearly 40,000 foreigners being eligible to vote, participation remains low.
The rise of anti-immigration rhetoric in Switzerland can discourage foreign residents from feeling accepted and engaging in civic life. Adding to this, the complexity of the rules regarding voting eligibility, which differ across Swiss cantons and municipalities, can make it challenging for foreigners to navigate the political landscape.
However, a handful of cantons and municipalities in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, including Neuchâtel, Jura, Fribourg, and Vaud, allow non-citizens to vote and stand for election at communal level. Geneva, which has the largest foreign population in Switzerland (45%), grants foreigners voting rights at communal level, but they cannot run for office.
In Fribourg, the campaign is important because foreign nationals may not be aware that they can vote, according to Patrice Borcard, president of the Cantonal Commission for the Integration of Migrants and the Prevention of Racism (CMR). To increase awareness and engagement, the campaign will be conducted in multiple languages and will include posters, explanatory videos, and shared experiences to motivate foreigners to participate in the political process.
Unfortunately, this low participation among foreigners is common when political rights are newly extended, according to Daniel Kübler, professor of political science at the University of Zurich. In the canton of Neuchâtel, for example, only 18% of foreigners engage in the political process, while in Geneva, the figure rises slightly to 23%. Among the Spanish and Portuguese communities in Geneva, turnout is particularly low, at 17 and 13% respectively.
In contrast, only a few municipalities in Appenzell and Graubünden in German-speaking Switzerland allow foreigners to vote in some cases. This highlights the need for initiatives like the 'Your Vote Counts' campaign to bridge the gap in political participation between foreign and Swiss citizens.
It is crucial to remember that foreign residents in Switzerland cannot vote at the federal level, limiting their influence on matters important to their lives. By encouraging political participation among foreign residents, initiatives like 'Your Vote Counts' can help ensure that the voices of this significant portion of the Swiss population are heard.
As the March 2026 municipal elections approach, the 'Your Vote Counts' campaign in Fribourg aims to inspire foreign residents to take an active role in shaping their community's future. By making their voices heard, foreign residents can help create a more inclusive and representative democracy in Switzerland.
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