Swiss anti-terror law: more police powers for more security?

On June 13, Swiss voters will decide the fate of a new anti-terrorism law which has sparked controversy both domestically and abroad. For some, the law is a threat to the rights of innocent citizens, while others say it will better protect the population. In 2015, in the wake of a deadly attack on the offices of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in Paris, Switzerland adopted a new strategy to combat violent extremism. The federal law on police measures to fight terrorism is a key pillar of this. The wave of large-scale attacks which has hit some European countries in recent years has not yet affected Switzerland. Last year, however, the country recorded its first jihadist violence: a fatal stabbing in the southwestern town of Morges, and a knife-attack in Ticino. And according to the Federal Intelligence Services, the terrorist threat remains high. It’s in this context that voters will decide on June 13 – alongside four other issues – whether or not to grant more powers to police...