National Council rejects initiative: no immediate merger of civil defense and civil service

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The National Council does not provide the Federal Council with guidelines for the organization of civil protection and community service. He has rejected a motion from his Security Policy Committee calling for a merger as soon as possible.

The Grand Chamber decided on Thursday with 96 votes in favour, 83 against and 4 abstentions. The advance is off the table.

The Commission justified its motion on the grounds that civil defense stocks were dwindling in many places. Several cantons have expressed their difficulties and concerns. There are too many departures from the military to civilian service, which is bad for civil defense.

Federal Council examines merger

The Bundesrat did not deny the problem, but first wanted to complete the ongoing investigations into the future of conscription. A merger is also being investigated in this context. For example, there are still many unanswered questions about the division of tasks between the federal government and the cantons and about the costs. Ideas varied widely.

The Commission believed that the pace proposed by the state government was too slow. Several cantons have expressed their difficulties and concerns. At the same time, the risk of natural disasters, pandemics, cyber-attacks or power failures is increasing. In the field of civil protection, Switzerland will have to be even better prepared in the future than it is now. It is necessary to act quickly.

A minority of the committee voted against the motion. She warned against quick shots pretending to act fast. A merger of civil service and civil defense would be complex and have major consequences, especially for the cantons. There were also questions about feasibility, costs and equal treatment.

The minority had joined the national councilors of the SP and the Greens, as well as the national councilor Jean-Luc Addor of the Valais SVP. The rest of the SVP faction supported the initiative, as did the FDP. The left, on the other hand, dismissed it as an attack on community service. The center first wanted to have open questions clarified.

The GroenLinks voted for the motion. They saw the merger as a step towards a civil service they advocate, with a free choice between military service, community service and community service.

Civil protection needs more staff

As early as January, the Federal Council submitted a proposal for consultation that should help civil protection to recruit more personnel. The intention is, among other things, that civil protection organizations that will eventually be understaffed will be recognized as operational companies for civilians. The condition for this is that civil protection has exhausted all other means to remedy the shortfall.

The group for a Switzerland without an army (GSoA) opposed the merger of civil defense and civilian service and the plans of the Bundesrat. GSoA members protested in Bern along with those doing community service. The GSoA criticized in a communiqué that many social and health care institutions rely on community service workers. No one gains from weakening community service.

The National Council voted against the de facto abolition of the civil service, civil service association Civiva writes in a statement after the vote. They will continue to fight against a merger. (SDA)

Source:Blick