The Local Switzerland

Swiss court rules 'foreign gypsy' cartoon was racist

Tue, 15 Jan 2019 16:38:13 +0100

The heads of the youth chapter of Switzerland's right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) in the canton of Bern have been found guilty of racial discrimination over a cartoon protesting a regional government proposal for temporary camping places for "foreign gypsies".

Government tackles shortage of caravan sites

Thu, 26 Jun 2014 16:00:00 +0200

The federal government is setting up a working group to look into the lack of appropriate sites in Switzerland for caravan dwellers.

Swiss implement 48-hour asylum procedure

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:37:00 +0200

The vast majority of asylum requests to Switzerland from certain European countries are bogus and from now on will be processed within 48 hours, Swiss authorities said on Wednesday.

Swiss travellers 'suffer due to Roma reputation'

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:04:00 +0200

Hostile attitudes towards Roma people in Switzerland are making life difficult for the Jenische people, an entirely separate travelling ethnic group with a long history in the country, community leaders say.

Swiss mag in racism row over Roma child shooter

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:44:53 +0200

Swiss news magazine Weltwoche is facing angry accusations of racism in the German-speaking world after publishing a front page picture of a gun-toting child with a headline that warns of a looming Roma crime wave.

Geneva coalition fights city's begging ban

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0100

A coalition of NGOs and left-wing parties are hoping to gather enough support to change a law allowing police officers in Geneva to fine people who beg for money on the street.

Hungarian sex workers flooding to Zurich

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:32:00 +0200

Prostitutes from Hungary are increasingly being sent to work in the red light district on Sihlquai in the centre of Zurich, but they don’t see themselves as victims of trafficking, according to a Swiss researcher.