Vote to deport foreigners

SWISS voters yesterday approved a plan to automatically deport foreigners who commit serious crimes or benefit fraud, in a significant victory for the nationalist party that pushed the proposal against the will of the government.

Some 52.9% of voters backed the proposal put forward by the nationalist Swiss People’s Party, or SVP. The plan was opposed by 47.1% of voters.

A government-backed counterproposal failed. It would have required a case-by-case review by a judge before an individual is deported.