Abstract
The canton of Neuchâtel is considered as a pioneer in the area of integration policies in Switzerland. It has adopted an intercultural, democratic, and inclusive approach since the 1990s. This chapter focuses on the main principles of Neuchâtel’s intercultural integration model: public rhetoric about diversity advantages, citizenship (foreigners can vote since the nineteenth century), transversality, welcoming policies, mediation, and participation. With an in-depth analysis of the example of long-term multiconfessional burial grounds, this text presents an analysis of strategies used to face a number of obstacles in the implementation of intercultural policies and principles.
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Notes
- 1.
Permanent resident population according to primary language(s), from 1970 to 2013 (source: 1970–2000: RFP; 2013: RS).
- 2.
85% of the foreign permanent resident population in Switzerland comes from a European country, with three quarters of them coming from the EU or EFTA. The largest foreign population still comes from Italy (15.4%), followed by Germany (15.1%), Portugal (13.1%), and France (5.7%). The proportion of permanent residents coming from outside of Europe has practically doubled since 1980 up to 14.9% today. Migrants have come to Switzerland mainly for work (48.9%), family unification (32%), education or training (10.6%), and refugees (1.2%; in the 1990s from the Balkans, currently mainly from Eritrea and Syria). Source: Office fédéral de la statistique.
- 3.
Swiss citizenship can be obtained through descent (jus sanguinis), by adoption, or naturalization. The Swiss constitution and the federal law on nationality (September 19, 1952) defined the principles for granting citizenship, notably the requirement to have lived in Switzerland for at least 12 years. According to the MIPEX 2015, Switzerland’s policies are rather disadvantageous to migrants in the area of naturalization and ranked 31st out of 38 public policies analyzed in this study (http://www.mipex.eu/access-nationality).
- 4.
Federal Act on Foreign Nationals (FNA) and the Ordinance on the Integration of Foreign Nationals (OIE).
- 5.
PIC [Le programme d’intégration cantonal = the cantonal integration program]: a signed agreement between the Confederation and each canton determining federal subsidies. The cantons’ financial contribution is at least equal to that of the Confederation. The eight focus areas are preliminary information, general counseling and advising, discrimination prevention, language and training, programs for preschool children, employability, translation and interpretation, and social integration.
- 6.
Which may seem surprising in a country where women were given the right to vote in only 1971 (in Neuchâtel in 1959).
- 7.
A status that was eliminated in 2002, which was subject to quotas and obligated workers holding this permit to leave Switzerland three months per year. Furthermore, they were forbidden to change employers or lodging during the season or to relocate their family.
- 8.
The average Swiss rate is at little over 3%, in Neuchâtel, at over 5%.
- 9.
Its first representative in government, elected in 2013, resigned for health reasons less than a year after having been replaced by a rightwing representative (the radical-liberal party) because the UDC candidate did not have sufficient votes.
- 10.
The last information report from the government to Parliament is an excellent example:
“The State Council considers that a poor job market should not instigate a search for scapegoats. Making others responsible for difficulties, which often stem from individual behavior, must be resisted. It would be highly appropriate that the population be informed about the lives of people who tend to be stigmatized, but also, for example, facts related to workers and the job market, in order to avoid shortcuts that damage the community life of a multicultural border region whose diversity contributes to its wealth.
It deems that, if the choice of a general anti-discrimination policy is sensible and non-stigmatizing, specific actions can be taken when a group is targeted for one or more of their affiliations. The mechanisms of stigmatization, whether in speech or in actions, are not conducive to social cohesion.” Information report of the Council of State on the foreign national integration policy and discrimination prevention of April 22, 2015.
- 11.
It should be noted that this has not always been the case, since for several years, it bore the title of the office of the delegate to foreign nationals.
- 12.
The following measures exist in different communes: the distribution of citizenship charter (see below); the mailing of a welcome letter by the communal executive, organizing welcoming ceremonies with the entire communal executive (welcoming, reminders of some particularly important information, introduction to authorities, drinks); the suggestion of guided visits to the most important places in the commune, if possible in the newcomer’s language, and (optional) French classes. They are intended, in principle, for non-French speakers in financial difficulty over the age of 18. Some classes emphasize social integration and civic knowledge.
- 13.
A typical tradition in Neuchatel which involves cooking sausages and potatoes in fire cinders.
- 14.
One of the strategic goals of the cantonal integration program (PIC) signed by the Confederation and the canton stipulates that “all new arrival from abroad with the intention of staying legally and permanently in Switzerland feel welcomed and informed about the living standards and the possibilities for integration. Immigrants who have specific integration needs will be offered adequately encouraging measures, as soon as possible but at most a year after their arrival.”
- 15.
Since 2008, the law on foreign national (LEtr) allows cantons to make integration agreements with foreign nationals from third-party countries (outside of the EU/EFTA). Several cantons, mainly German-speaking, use this instrument to encourage immigrants to follow language classes, for example.
- 16.
Citizenship charter, foundations and principles of the Republic of Neuchâtel, http://www.ne.ch/autorites/DEAS/COSM/charte-citoyennete/Documents/Charte/a4republique.pdf
- 17.
The common themes at the origin of its creation are the lack of a Muslim cemetery, difficulties in finding halal meat, difficulties in obtaining leave for religious holidays, the fact that Islam is not recognized as an official religion, the resultant impossibility of receiving tax money to finance Islamic centers, and the negative image of Islam among the population.
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Maye, C., Merzaghi, F., Keriakos Bugada, S. (2018). Cohesion on the Horizon: The Construction of Intercultural Integration Policy in Neuchâtel. In: White, B. (eds) Intercultural Cities. Global Diversities. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62603-1_10
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