100,000 refugees – and no one bothers

A refugee flow like in the Second World War: by the end of the year, the federal government expects about 80,000 refugees from Ukraine. In addition, there are about 24,000 asylum seekers who travel to Switzerland from the Balkan route and elsewhere. In total, this concerns more than 100,000 refugees.

By comparison, during the refugee crisis in 2015, fewer than half as many people sought protection in Switzerland. At that time, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) counted about 40,000 asylum seekers. Yet the excitement was much greater. There was talk of a “refugee tsunami”; the SVP won nearly three percentage points in the election in the same year.

In politics – especially in the Department of Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter (58, FDP) – some feared in the spring that solidarity with the Ukrainian refugees would be short-lived. In the summer there were the first signs of this. Reports from the war front dwindled, media attention shifted to the power shortage. And the SVP demanded that Ukrainian refugees from “safe” regions should no longer receive protection. This should only apply to refugees from southern and eastern Ukraine.

Russian escalation promotes solidarity

But the People’s Party had miscalculated. Just on the day the National Council voted to revoke S status in September, Russian President Vladimir Putin (70) announced the so-called partial mobilization. The SVP was left alone with her demand – there were numerous abstentions, even from his own party. The (provisional) conclusion: Attacks on Ukrainian refugees cannot score points politically.

In fact, the renewed escalation of the war is probably a major reason why the Swiss people’s solidarity with the Ukrainians remains high. Host families wishing to take in Ukrainian refugees continue to contact aid organization Caritas.

Of course, the great goodwill towards the Ukrainians also has to do with the composition of the refugee groups. Women and children enjoy more sympathy than young men. Especially if they come from Europe – and are Christian.

That is why more asylum applications are currently being made

Excluding those seeking protection from Ukraine: 2,681 people applied for asylum in Switzerland in September, 635 more than in August and 1,138 more than in September of the previous year. The main countries of origin are Afghanistan, Turkey, Syria, Eritrea and Algeria. But why are the asylum applications of people from these countries increasing now?

The Federal Office for Migration SEM explains the growing influx of refugees as follows: “The pandemic has weakened many economies in traditional countries of origin and transit of asylum seekers.” The situation was exacerbated by the rising prices caused by the war in Ukraine.

People who already lived in precarious conditions in the countries concerned are now really getting into trouble – and being forced to emigrate. According to the SEM, in the case of Turkey, for example, this concerns not only nationals, but also Afghans who have fled the Taliban and have been in Turkey for a long time.

Men pray in a room at the Federal Asylum Center in Zurich.

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Excluding those seeking protection from Ukraine: 2,681 people applied for asylum in Switzerland in September, 635 more than in August and 1,138 more than in September of the previous year. The main countries of origin are Afghanistan, Turkey, Syria, Eritrea and Algeria. But why are the asylum applications of people from these countries increasing now?

The Federal Office for Migration SEM explains the growing influx of refugees as follows: “The pandemic has weakened many economies in traditional countries of origin and transit of asylum seekers.” The situation was exacerbated by the rising prices caused by the war in Ukraine.

People who already lived in precarious conditions in the countries concerned are now really getting into trouble – and being forced to emigrate. According to the SEM, in the case of Turkey, for example, it concerns not only nationals, but also Afghans who have fled the Taliban and have been in Turkey for a long time.

The longer the war, the harder

Historian and political scientist Claude Longchamp (65) draws parallels with the Hungarians and Czechoslovaks who rose up against the Soviet regime in the 1950s and 1960s – and were welcomed with open arms as refugees in Switzerland. “Even then, public opinion was clearly on the side of the attacked countries,” said Longchamp.

The requested Ukrainians also report that the solidarity of the Swiss population is still high. Zoya Miari (23), who fled to Switzerland with her mother and younger siblings in March, has remained in close contact with her former host family. “They still help us regularly,” says the Ukrainian. The host family made it possible for her two younger siblings to participate in a soccer camp.

However: The current solidarity with the Ukrainians is probably also based on the population’s assumption that the people will one day return. On every occasion, Attorney General Keller-Sutter emphasizes that S status is “returned.” If it turns out that the war will last for years, this position will be more difficult to maintain.

SVP demands regular asylum procedure

The SVP is already adding again. National councilor Gregor Rutz (50) asks what happens “if only a third of Ukrainians apply for asylum”. Party colleague Martina Bircher (38) points in the same direction as she writes in the current party newspaper “Klartext”: The question is whether the S status “is actually as yield-oriented as is claimed”. She therefore advocates the withdrawal of S status for newly arrived Ukrainians and the application of the regular asylum procedure.

There is still little response to the demands of the SVP. But they expect broad solidarity with Ukrainian women to come under pressure. At least because of politics. What people say about it is another matter.