The Center wants to pull the rug out from under the feet of the SVP by proposing a mechanism to control immigration within the framework of the agreement with the EU. According to Le Matin Dimanche, the party is proposing to make it a direct counter-project to the UDC's initiative “No Switzerland for 10 million”.
Two days after the historic handshake between Viola Amherd and Ursula Von der Leyen, the new package of agreements between Switzerland and the EU must now go before the people. One theme could block everything: that of the free movement of people, notably with the specter of the UDC initiative “No Switzerland for 10 million”.
To get out of the rut, The Center offers an alternative, in a plan revealed by Matin Dimanche.
“Protecting employment in Switzerland”
In the event of excessive immigration, the Confederation and cantons could limit the number of workers by region or economic sector, such as watchmaking for example.
“What we absolutely want is to preserve and guarantee the job market in Switzerland. And for this, the cantons and the Confederation must be able to adjust, have specific measures”, explains Vincent Maître, vice-president of the Center , in the 7:30 p.m. of RTS on Sunday.
This mechanism, the president of the party Gerhard Pfister wants to submit to the people to block the road to the initiative of the UDC “No Switzerland with 10 million” inhabitants, a text which threatens the entire bilateral path with Brussels, according to him.
But the UDC is not fooled, notes national councilor Michaël Buffat (UDC/VD). “Our initiative has a good chance of being accepted by the population because it responds to one of their concerns (…) Gerhard Pfister's proposal does not contribute anything.”
>> To find out more about the “No Switzerland for 10 million” initiative, read: The UDC presents its new initiative to limit immigration
Support from the PLR but not from the PS
At the PLR, on the other hand, we look favorably on the Center's project. “This initiative is very rigid. The European Union must agree to it, which is not certain today,” believes Olivier Feller, national advisor to the party.
For the Socialist Party, controlling free movement is not the priority. “The main thing is the question of wages and the protection of workers above all else,” indicates national councilor Jean Tschopp (PS/VD).
The Swiss people will have the final say on these agreements with the European Union, but not for three years.
>> To find out the details of the measures provided for by the Switzerland-EU agreements, read: Details of the measures provided for in the new Switzerland-EU agreements
Julien Guillaume / juma
