Burkini: Geneva elected officials refuse to ban it from swimming pools

The Geneva Grand Council refused this Thursday to ban the wearing of burkinis in public swimming pools in the canton.

This UDC project was born in reaction to the change of regulations in the City of Genevawhich allowed the burkini “in the name of a misguided conception of inclusion and tolerance”, introduced the UDC Guy Mettan. The referendum was unsuccessful.

“Allowing the burkini means authorizing communitarianism in swimming pools, flouting secularism and insulting women,” according to Guy Mettan, recalling the fight of the latter in Iran to get rid of the veil and the burka. It is above all a question of hygiene, he added. Furthermore, “nothing would prohibit a priest from bathing in a cassock!” According to him, the burkini risks hindering the actions of the rescuers.

“The material must be designed for swimming and the outfit must not have been worn before, these are the only criteria to remember, according to Green Cédric Jeanneret. We can cover ourselves out of modesty, for cultural, religious reasons, to protect ourselves from the sun, it is not up to us to legislate on individual considerations. And it’s not up to men to dictate what women should wear, so I’ll stop there.”

Non-existent problems

“The UDC is creating non-existent problems and looking for scapegoats!”, intervenes Rose Jacklean Kalibala. “You will not liberate women, you will isolate them, they must, everywhere, be able to decide for themselves,” adds Green Emilie Fernandez. As long as the material is suitable, a burkini is no less hygienic, she disputes.

MCG François Baertschi rejects the project in the name of respect for municipal autonomy. The Canton must not interfere in municipal competences, continues Laurent Seydoux (LJS).

In committee, no group followed the UDC. But in plenary, the Center will vote with it, announces Jean-Marc Guinchard. As for the PLR, “it is divided between those who think that this outfit has no place in society and the defenders of municipal autonomy,” explains Murat Julian Alder.

His colleague Alexis Barbey notes that the burkini, rarely worn, is not a source of conflict. The project was rejected by 54 no, 33 yes and 3 abstentions.

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Armanios go has been a journalist in the Geneva section since August 2022 and covers cantonal politics in particular.More info

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