Voting rights for foreigners: Why this right is rarely used

Voting without a Swiss passport? This is possible in around 30 Graubünden municipalities. A right that is rarely used, however. To what extent are foreigners allowed to have a say and participate in decisions in Switzerland? This question goes back a long way: 175 years ago, the canton of Neuchâtel introduced the right for foreigners to vote at the municipal level. German-speaking Switzerland is catching up Since then, the right of foreigners to vote and stand for election has spread further. It is now a reality, especially in western Switzerland at the municipal and cantonal level in Neuchâtel and Jura. In German-speaking Switzerland, the right to vote and to stand for election for foreigners only applies in a few municipalities, although this trend is increasing. The canton of Graubünden in particular is considered a stronghold of the right to vote for foreigners. In the mountain canton, more than 30 municipalities have now introduced voting rights for foreigners – and the ...