The news comes as Basel-City’s Grand Council has voted 53-41 in favour of amending the cantonal constitution to extend voting rights.

It would extend active rights to vote in cantonal and city elections to those foreigners with a permanent residence permit who have lived in the canton of Basel-City for five years.

The autonomous communities of Riehen and Bettingen, also within the canton, can already extend the right to vote to foreigners, but are yet to exercise that power.

In passing the amendment, the cantonal government welcomed the result of the vote. President Conradin Cramer (LDP) indicated that at present a “very large minority” is being excluded from having their say.

“From the government’s point of view, this can actually be described as a democratic deficit.”, he continued. 

The amendment will result in a referendum, possibly taking place in November, following local elections in October.

Voting was strictly along party lines,with the left-wing SP, Green and GLA voting in favour of the change, while the centrist and right-wing EVP, LVP, SVP and FDP parties voted against.

If successful, it would make Basel-City the first German-speaking canton to extend such a right.

Only a few other cantons have chosen to extend local voting rights to eligible foreigners.

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The cantons of Fribourg, Vaud, Neuchâtel and Jura allow non-citizens to vote, elect officials, and stand for election at communal level. Conditions vary from one canton to another, but in most cases a certain length of stay and/or a residence permit are required.

Basel-City, which borders Germany, is a major centre for life sciences, and pharmaceutical giants such as Novartis, Roche, and Moderna each have significant presences there.

Consequently there is a significant population of foreigners and cross-commuter workers working in the region.