Switzerlands State Response on the European Refugee Crisis 2015

Abstract

During the year 2015, over 1.3 million asylum applications were filed in Europe, almost double the number of applications in 2014. Likewise, in Switzerland, the asylum applications doubled by 2015 and reached a high of 39,523. According to a broad literature body, such an increase of asylum applications can lead, in theory, to a more restrictive asylum policy. Therefore, this study evaluates the Swiss state response in terms of restrictiveness and deterrence measures. To accomplish this, Switzerlands actions concerning the refugee crisis are evaluated using Gibney and Hansons (2003) theory on restrictive state measures. The findings show significant reactions in the categories of: legal changes, cooperation, and border protection. Breaking down the responses into restrictive and positive answers is less conducive however, since some of the categories contain both restrictive as well as positive measures. Overall, it can be observed that Switzerlands in-country measures are mostly positive measures - like the amendment of the asylum procedure - while the adopted pre-entry measures are restrictive. The latter includes a fortification of national as well as European border protection.