LeVig
September 26th, 2004, 10:56 AM
Swiss reject loosening of tough citizenship rules in referendum
GENEVA (AP) - Voters in Switzerland - where more than one in five is a foreigner - rejected proposals to liberalize tough rules on citizenship in a national referendum Sunday.
In an outcome revealing the deep divide between the country's French- and more conservative German-speaking regions, two government-backed plans failed to win support in a majority of the Alpine country's 26 cantons, or states, official results showed by early afternoon.
With the count completed in most cantons, 13 were against and six in favor.
Under Swiss law, referendums need a majority of cantons and of the popular vote to pass.
Projections by public broadcaster SRG-SSR based on a partial count showed 56 percent of voters against plans to give citizenship to Swiss-born grandchildren of migrants, and a narrower 51 percent no vote in a separate poll on easing the rules for foreigners raised and schooled here.
"This is a sad day for Switzerland," said Claudio Micheloni, head of a migrants' integration association.
About two-thirds of Swiss are German-speakers, and stark political differences are common.
The Swiss have dubbed that split the "roestigraben," or "hash-brown divide," because the dish is so common in German-speaking Switzerland and less popular in French-speaking regions.
Referendums are the cornerstone of Switzerland's system of direct democracy, and citizens cast ballots several times a year, often facing a bewildering array of questions. Turnout among the nation's 4.7 million voters rarely exceeds 50 percent, but 52 percent voted Sunday.
©2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
GENEVA (AP) - Voters in Switzerland - where more than one in five is a foreigner - rejected proposals to liberalize tough rules on citizenship in a national referendum Sunday.
In an outcome revealing the deep divide between the country's French- and more conservative German-speaking regions, two government-backed plans failed to win support in a majority of the Alpine country's 26 cantons, or states, official results showed by early afternoon.
With the count completed in most cantons, 13 were against and six in favor.
Under Swiss law, referendums need a majority of cantons and of the popular vote to pass.
Projections by public broadcaster SRG-SSR based on a partial count showed 56 percent of voters against plans to give citizenship to Swiss-born grandchildren of migrants, and a narrower 51 percent no vote in a separate poll on easing the rules for foreigners raised and schooled here.
"This is a sad day for Switzerland," said Claudio Micheloni, head of a migrants' integration association.
About two-thirds of Swiss are German-speakers, and stark political differences are common.
The Swiss have dubbed that split the "roestigraben," or "hash-brown divide," because the dish is so common in German-speaking Switzerland and less popular in French-speaking regions.
Referendums are the cornerstone of Switzerland's system of direct democracy, and citizens cast ballots several times a year, often facing a bewildering array of questions. Turnout among the nation's 4.7 million voters rarely exceeds 50 percent, but 52 percent voted Sunday.
©2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.