Bern
The progressive stronghold of Switzerland
Key Takeaways
- 1
A positive attitude towards migrants and anti-racist civil society within the Bernese administration contributes to a cooperation of trust between the city and civil society.
- 2
The city's commitment to the importance of local civil society initiatives is reflected in its Integration Award (2004 - 2018) and Social Award, with which the city expresses its recognition and appreciation of this work.
What is unique about the city?
A special role within Switzerland: Bern, which is governed by the left, has publicly and intensively committed itself to taking in refugees since 2015. Like most capitals, Bern plays a special role in the national political structure. For this reason, it has had an important political function for the largely conservative nation of Switzerland. The city government has repeatedly spoken out against the federal government in favour of taking in additional refugees.
“To accommodate 20 people from Moria is far too little for the capital of the rich country of Switzerland. Bern could easily provide financially for 500 people, and accommodation would be feasible in the short term. ”
Motion put forward to the municipal parliament of Bern by the Green-Alternative Party (GaP), Labour Party (PdA) and Alternative Left (AL), November 2020
What is the focus of local migration policies?
Shaping local admission policies: Bern is one of two cities in Switzerland that has its own migration office. This gives the city slightly more room to shape immigration law, which is usually decided at the cantonal level, and enables it to shape local admission policy. The combination of a left-wing government and a pro-active civil society has given rise to numerous anti-racist projects in Bern, all of which are concerned with facilitating the integration of newcomers with and without documents.
What are the greatest achievements so far?
The digital City ID: In 2017, Bern was one of the first Swiss municipalities to establish, in cooperation with the Protestant Church, an advice centre that supports qualified migrants on their way to gaining employment which matches their qualifications. The planned introduction of a digital City Card that will facilitate urban citizenship for the local undocumented community would be a pioneering achievement. It would increase access to multiple local services for undocumented residents, leading to increased recognition and better living conditions.
Political activities and advocacy beyond the city level
The collaboration between local networks such as "Wir sind alle Bern” (We are all Bern) or the “Netzwerk Migrantensolidarität” (Migrant Solidarity Network) and local left-wing politicians has ensured that Bern has been increasingly active on the institutional level in advocating together with other Swiss cities for the direct reception of refugees. In November 2020, the municipal parliament passed a resolution which insisted that the city of Bern should take in not 20, but 500 refugees from Moria, reasoning that 20 was far too small a number for the capital city of the rich country of Switzerland. The “urgent motion” was carried by a large majority. City Councillor Franziska Teuscher stated to the council that Bern would continue to lobby the federal government for the immediate admission of additional refugees. To this end, the city of Bern joined forces with nine other large cities.
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Download the full city report
The city report contains more information about the city’s migration and inclusion policies and selected local approaches. Report from 2021, updated in 2023.