SVP Seizes Initiative, Introduces Controversial Referendum; New Lease on Life for Hinterhof; Construction Expo Opens in Basel; Double Drunken Disco Disorder

News For 12 January 2016

  Wasting little time since gaining seats in the Swiss Parliament and upper house, The Swiss People's Party has introduced a referendum to be decided on February 28th, which would seek to expel any foreigners convicted of criminal acts.  In support of their initiative, banners have been visibly placed throughout Switzerland depicting a white sheep using its hoofs to kick a black sheep off of a Swiss Flag.  Although a similar referendum was passed in 2010 calling for the expulsion of foreigners guilty of serious crimes, the SVP says it did not go far enough and hasn't been effective.  Hoping to ensure the safety of law abiding residents however will backfire according to opponents of the plan.  They estimate up to 18,000 people annually would be expelled, many related to trivial crimes like forgetting to make social security payments or minor thefts.  A multi-party opposition group has publicly voiced their concern that the initiative, if passed, would be difficult to implement and contrary to Switzerland's political commitment to the rule of law. *************************** Since the end of March, The Basel Nightclub Hinterhof has been operating in a state of limbo.  The operators of the venue were no longer interested in operating the club while having only a one year lease from the property's owner, the city of Basel Stadt.  The closing became a rallying cry for activists who pointed out that Basel in general was becoming a dull town without viable nightlife alternatives.  An eleventh hour reprieve however has been won.  Sunday evening, Hinterhof CEO Phillipe Hersberger announced on Facebook, that the club had come to an agreement with the city, and had secured a 5 year lease allowing it to operate at its current site until 2021.  The broad debate about Basel nightlife will now focus on the fate of the Nordstern, another Basel nightclub confronting similar lease issues.  Recently, it was rumored that the club will move to the site of the Das Schiff nightclub which has been empty since 2014.

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Ueli Maurer, member of Switzerland's Federal council, was on hand today in Basel's Messeplatz to open the 2016 Swissbau or construction trade fair.  Over 1100 exhibitors from 19 countries are participating in this year's expo focused on the construction and engineering industry.  Swissbau is one of Europe's larges trade fairs and represents the interests of buyers and sellers throughout the real estate industry's value chain.  According to the Swiss Construction Industry association president Hans Killer, the industry and the fair are vital to the nation as it employs over 500,000 people globally and generates over 63 billion Swiss Francs in global sales.  This year's fair is focused on the themes of digitization, new materials and systems.  In addition, the fair will feature an area dedicated to the opening of the new Gotthard Base tunnel set to open in June of this year and a dedication ceremony scheduled for December 2016.

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Last Saturday night, the streets outside the Claraplatz area Fame nightclub were witness to violent clashes requiring police intervention.  According to Basel's prosector's office, at around 4am on Sunday, 10 men between the age of 19 and 23 had taken their war-of-words outside where the fight escalated to the point of someone using a knife.  Upon arrival, the police broke up the fight and arrested five suspects.  A short time later, the police had to return when another fight broke out, this time involving a 19 year old man who was attacked with yet another knife.  The police in that case are seeking a person described by witnesses as a 23 year old man.