Voters in canton Bern have decided to ban foreigners with a criminal record and those benefiting from welfare payments from getting Swiss citizenship.
Nearly 56% of voters approved a proposal by the youth chapter of the rightwing Swiss People’s Party. The promoters argued it was too easy to get the Swiss passport.
Most other parties as well as the government recommended rejection of the proposal, saying it is an unnecessary rule and violates preceding legislation.
Bern is the first of the country’s 26 cantons to approve tighter regulations.
The Swiss citizenship procedure is a three tier system at federal, cantonal and local levels.
At a nationwide level, a reform of is underway in parliament. There are calls to reduce the minimum residence from 12 to eight years and to introduce mandatory language courses to ease integration.