A majority on the Grand Council of Bern’s Committee on Political Institutions has endorsed a constitutional amendment that would let Bernese municipalities decide whether to grant communal voting rights to foreign nationals. The proposal, unveiled on 20 October 2026, would limit the franchise to holders of a C-settlement permit who have lived at least ten years in Switzerland, five in the canton and three months in the commune. Supporters argue that giving well-integrated expatriates a voice in local matters—from school budgets to zoning—will strengthen social cohesion in the canton that hosts more than 160,000 non-Swiss residents. Similar models already exist in cantons Neuchâtel, Jura and Vaud; adopting them in German-speaking Bern would mark a symbolic shift in Swiss integration policy. The proposal still faces a full parliamentary debate and, if passed, must survive an obligatory popular referendum. Business associations are watching closely because easier civic participation is often linked to higher local retention of skilled foreign workers. Critics, including the Swiss People’s Party, say voting rights should remain tied to naturalisation rather than residence status. If implemented, the change would have no effect on federal or cantonal elections but could influence issues such as communal tax rates and infrastructure projects that affect corporate mobility budgets.
Source: SWI swissinfo.ch
