Double name is about to make a comeback: Federal Council wants free choice of name

class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 iQNQmc”>

Whoever gets married must decide: stick with the current surname or adopt the partner’s surname? Since 2013 it is no longer possible to have a double name. If you wish, you can include your partner’s name in your passport or ID. However, only one name is listed in the civil status register.

Now the change should be reverted – and new options for choosing a name should be added. Children should also be able to have a double name in the future.

The Federal Council wants to go even further

The Federal Council supports the plans drawn up in parliament. If he has his way, couples should have even more name freedom in the future than the Legal Commission of the National Council is proposing. He decided that on Wednesday. Then SVP Landraadsmember Luzi Stamm (71) initiated the change in the law in 2017. Many couples would be disappointed if they found out that a double name was no longer an option, he argued at the time.

In the future, there should no longer be long faces on the civil registry. Many couples are more likely to think about the many options they may soon have.

Even those who are already married should have the choice

If Mrs Fabri and Mr Huber say yes, the woman should be able to choose between the names Fabri, Huber, Fabri-Huber, Fabri Huber, Huber-Fabri and Huber Fabri in the future. The same goes for her husband – regardless of her partner’s choice of name.

If they become parents, their child must also be able to have a double name, even if the parents do not have one themselves. It doesn’t matter whether they are married.

Couples who are already married or have a registered partnership should also be able to easily switch to a double name. The same is possible for minor children.

The goal: equality at last

The Federal Council’s proposal is likely to lead to heated debates in parliament. The National Council is expected to discuss the new naming law in March.

The state government is campaigning for full innovation, partly on equality grounds. This is exactly why the double name was originally abolished. But it has now become clear that there is still social pressure on women to adopt their husband’s sole name as a common surname, the Federal Council said. In this respect, the change in the law about ten years ago did not achieve its goal. (lha)

Source:Blick