OSA Proposes Electoral District for Swiss Abroad, Aiming for Direct Representation
The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) has proposed a significant change in Swiss politics. Its working group suggests creating a politico electoral district for the diaspora, enabling expatriates to elect their own representatives to parliament. This idea, however, has not secured majority political support since 2007.
Currently, Swiss citizens abroad have political channels such as the 'Swiss Abroad' parliamentary group and the OSA acting as its secretariat. However, direct representation in the Federal Parliament has been a long-term goal of the Swiss Abroad Organization (ASO), with some support from conservative right-wing representatives. Most political parties remain reluctant to grant more political weight to Swiss abroad.
Italy serves as an example of direct representation for its expatriates. It has eight members of the Chamber of Deputies and four senators elected from a special constituency. Toni Ricciardi, an Italian-Swiss, represents 3.6 million Italians in Europe but finds it challenging to voice the demands of the Italian diaspora in Rome.
The OSA's working group suggests increasing the number of seats in the House of Representatives to accommodate this change without taking seats away from cantons. Political scientist Marc Bühlmann believes such representation would be symbolic rather than substantive, given the diaspora's heterogeneity, making coherent political action difficult.
The OSA's proposal aims to give Swiss expatriates a direct voice in federal politics, similar to France's representation of its diaspora. While the idea has been around since 2007, it has yet to gain majority political support. Only Tim Guldimann, a former ambassador, has been elected to the House of Representatives while residing abroad. The OSA continues to push for this change, with the ASO and some conservative right-wing representatives in support.
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