Minister Maio: “The vote of the Swiss is good news for Italy and Europe”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luigi Di Maio: “The “popular initiative for the limitation” – i.e. for the amendment of the Swiss Constitution to restrict the free movement of persons provided for in the agreements with the EU – was rejected in Switzerland by more than 61% of the voters. It is the evident result of an exercise in direct democracy and good news for Italy and Europe. The vote on Sunday also safeguards the rights of hundreds of thousands of Italian workers in Switzerland. It confirmed the confidence of the Swiss people in a close relationship with Europe, strengthened in recent months by the joint fight against COVID, and in the value of the work of many Italian and European immigrants in the Confederation. A special thanks, in addition to the Swiss people, to President Sommaruga, today visiting Italy, and to the Federal Councillor for Foreign Affairs Cassis, for having supported the reasons for the result. I am confident that it will pave the way for a faster negotiation of even more advanced agreements between Switzerland and the EU, in the interest of the Swiss, Italians and all Europeans”.