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.

The SVP plan drew fire before yesterday’s referendum from legal experts who said it could breach offenders’ human rights.

The government will now have to draft a law to legislate for the change.