Double names should be possible again in Switzerland in the future

Double names when getting married, which were abolished ten years ago, should be possible again in the future. After the consultation, the responsible committee of the National Council spoke out in favor of a far-reaching change that should also give children more flexibility.

By 14 votes to 10 and one abstention, the Legal Commission of the National Council (RK-N) decided that the double name for spouses should be reintroduced in a much more flexible manner than under the old law and should now also be possible for children. The parliamentary services announced this on Friday.

In 2013, the double name without a hyphen was abolished to promote equality and especially to encourage women to keep their names. However, three-quarters of women who have married since then prefer to take their husband’s name.

The consultation on the relevant change in the law opened doors. The majority of parties and cantons prefer the proposed “grand solution”. There was criticism of the failure to include children’s rights. The Legal Affairs Committee has now taken this criticism into account. Parliament will now decide on this.

In addition to the existing possibilities to use names, according to the proposal it should now be possible for spouses or registered partners to independently decide to have a double name. The children should be able to have a double name consisting of their parents’ names, if the parents wish.

The options offered are numerous: for example, a couple can call themselves Meier Müller. Or the woman Müller Meier and the man Meier Müller. Both are also free to decide whether they want to put a hyphen between them.

Through a simple declaration, people who are already married or in a registered partnership, as well as minor children of married and unmarried parents, should be given the opportunity to subsequently create a double name in accordance with the new law based on the transitional arrangement. law. If the children are older than 12 years old, they must agree to the name change.

In this way, Swiss law meets a practical need. “Many couples regret that they are not allowed to have a double name these days,” the president of the Swiss Civil Registry Association, Roland Peterhans, told the Tagesanzeiger.

In a next step, the committee will submit the approved design and report it to the Federal Council for comment. The National Council is expected to discuss the proposal for the first time in the spring session of 2024. (note material from SDA)