A National Councillor from the Swiss People’s Party's parliamentary group (SVP) has caused an uproar with his colleagues, after submitting a proposal that would see foreigners drafted into the army. Erich Vontobel argued that extending military service to internationals is the only way to guarantee Switzerland’s security.
As part of the proposal, male holders of residence permits and refugees of service age would be required to complete the same national service as Swiss citizens. Vontobel, a member of the Federal Democratic Union party who caucuses with the SVP, hopes the plan will be incorporated into changes already announced by the government in January 2025, which make orientation days for the army compulsory for women, though their service remains voluntary.
The plans are motivated by feared personnel shortages in the Swiss Army. Under the current system, Switzerland maintains an army of 140.000 people, consisting of a large conscripted force and a smaller number of full-time soldiers. However, officials have warned that fewer and fewer conscripts are completing service.
For instance, of the 31.400 people enlisted for service in 2018, 30 percent were declared unfit, and only around 40 percent completed basic training, or just 12.800 people. What’s more, the military loses an estimated 2 to 3 percent of its force every year due to medical reasons or recruits switching to civilian service. Therefore, outgoing Swiss Army head Thomas Süssli expects that the size of the military will shrink from 140.000 to 110.000 by the end of the decade if nothing is done to bolster troop numbers.
The idea of conscripting foreigners is not new in Switzerland. Faced with a highly unstable global situation, the government is currently debating whether internationals could serve in the civilian service as part of its plan to boost spending and bolster defence. Others have proposed so-called “immigrant taxes”, to be paid by new arrivals as compensation for not completing national service.
Vontobel argued that those with long-term residence permits are already well integrated into Swiss culture and would therefore be willing to serve. He added that refugees are also keen to serve, having benefited from the “security of Switzerland and the prosperity it has made possible.” He also noted that in most cases, long-term residents will try to apply for Swiss citizenship, meaning they would likely be conscripted in the future anyway.
However, the proposal has caused an uproar within the SVP, with National Councillor Mauro Turena fearing that it would lead to serious security concerns. "Soldiers must be firmly integrated into Switzerland and must live our values. You never know what ideologies are represented there," he told Blick. "Such a proposal would lead to a mercenary army. And I definitely don't want that!" colleague Thomas Hurter added.
Though they are yet to comment on the plans, other political parties are unlikely to give their support willingly. Much like in their response to immigrant taxes, opponents argue that if internationals are required to complete national service, they should also be given the same political rights as citizens.
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