Restrictions on begging in Swiss cities spark heated debate

Plans to tighten restrictions on begging sparked heated debate in the parliament in the Swiss canton of Vaud. Other regions are discussing similar measures. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Begging was banned in the canton of Vaud in 2018, but this ban then became unenforceable following a ruling by the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in 2021, concerning a case from Geneva. The Strasbourg judges ruled that the unqualified crackdown on begging did not comply with the principle of proportionality. As a result, the local government in Vaud had to adapt and proposed a new draft law in July 2023. It lays down a basic principle: begging is authorised as long as it does not infringe on a passerby's freedom of choice. Intrusive or aggressive begging as well as in a number of “sensitive” locations will be penalised. + Basel expels 11 beggars from Switzerland During discussions in the Vaud parliament on Tuesday, numerous amendments were ...