On 9 February, a referendum was held in Switzerland
regarding the implementation of immigration quotas. By a close margin, 50.3% of
the Swiss population voted to limit the number of immigrants allowed into the
country, and therefore, break agreements with the European Union regarding free
movement of EU citizens. Switzerland and the EU will now have to negotiate a
new agreement, or cancel their agreement altogether, by 2017. As of the last 10
to 12 years, Switzerland has seen an average of 80,000 immigrants enter the
country every year. Compare this with the previous range of 23,000 to 30,000 immigrants annually in the
period 1972-2002. The Swiss government is looking to reduce the annual influx
of foreigners by 60%.
This new policy would not be so bad, if not for implicit xenophobic
motives. Switzerland's right wing party, the Swiss People's Party (SVP), has
advocated for anti-immigration policies in order to preserve the Swiss
identity, and to keep Switzerland "idyllic". SVP was also behind a
massively racist poster campaign to discourage immigration, depicting "white
sheep kicking black or yellow sheep out of the country and black crows pecking
at Switzerland, like a piece of bread." Some accuse the SVP of
manipulating the public and playing on implicit racial fears.
The SVP's meddling has major implications for
Switzerland's relations with the European Union. The new quotas, as previously
mentioned, go against the Swiss-EU agreement on the free movement of persons.
This principle is key in the Bilateral Agreements I Framework between
Switzerland and the EU, and because this aspect of the agreement is being
violated, the EU will likely terminate the entire agreement. This bilateral
agreement also sets up Switzerland's participation in EU research programs,
free movement through overland transport, easier agricultural trade, as well as
other free market and open border policies.
On an educational level, limiting immigration will impact
student exchange. EU and Swiss students are able to move freely between states
and attend universities without extra costs or visa requirements, particularly
through the Erasmus program. Should agreements between the EU and the Swiss
end, Swiss students will either incur the costs of studying abroad or will be
limited in the higher education options available to them. In the business
sphere, companies are preparing to pull out of Switzerland. The xenophobic
reputation the Swiss are creating will directly impact other nations' desire to
work with them. Combined with tense EU economic relations, the new immigration
quotas will make Swiss-EU bilateral trade more difficult and economic
development may stagnate.
It is entirely possible that the Swiss did not realize
the effect these new quotas would have on Switzerland's economic and diplomatic
relations. Internationally, people are beginning to see past the idyllic façade,
the fancy watches, and chocolate. In an age when sensitivity to race is at an
all-time high, the timing of these policies are disadvantageous. While many
countries in Europe are dealing with racial tensions and immigration issues,
having these problems publicized can only discourage positive public opinion.
Unless the Swiss can do damage control, any hope for educational exchange,
economic exchange, and general diplomatic relations with other states will be
very difficult to accomplish.
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