For Alia Chaker Mangeat, city councilor for the center of the city of Geneva, the city of Calvin may have better things to do than "import a Franco-French conflict" and take the lead on the burkini in municipal swimming pools . On Monday, by 38 votes for, 33 against and one abstention, the city amended the regulations in its basins. It no longer mentions dress requirements, simply referring to "decent and appropriate" dress. Which means that the burkini as bare breasts are now allowed.
But, as you can imagine, the chosen ones were not torn on women who do not wear a bra, but on this swimsuit that covers the trunk, a large part of the limbs and even the head . In France, in May 2022, the city of Grenoble adopted a new regulation allowing users to cover their bodies more. The judges of the administrative court of Grenoble pronounced the suspension of this new regulation. A suspension confirmed by the Council of State in June 2022, considering that these new rules of procedure in Grenoble "affect respect for other users of common law rules that are too different"
In Switzerland, the prohibition of the burqa and the niqab is the responsibility of the Confederation. On the other hand, no federal or cantonal law regulates the wearing of the burkini, the decision rests with the municipalities. To impose a new settlement in Geneva, the left and the Greens kept a low profile. Like the socialist Pascal Holenweg, the originator of the proposal, who declares: "We are only talking about swimwear. The burkini, who cares. And, for an elected environmentalist, we must think of "pregnant people, people with disabilities, those who have scars, skin problems". In other words, this rule change would not apply to Muslims, but to people "who have complexes".
The far right announces a referendum
Michèle Roullet, also PLR, says: "We are facing a real ideological fight in the face of which no one is fooled. This text wishes to impose a dogmatic vision in our swimming pools. For the Democratic Union of the Center (UDC), the most right-wing party of the political spectrum, "the extremists claim by this garment their belonging to the Sharia and their refusal to integrate". As usual, the UDC wants to launch a referendum so that the last word goes to the people of Geneva. For this, he will have to collect 3,200 signatures in forty days. This morning, the city's two main daily newspapers also headlined this probable referendum: "Referendum announced against the burkini in municipal swimming pools", writes La Tribune de Genève, "In Geneva, municipal swimming pools will authorize the burkini, the UDC will fight the measure, ”announces Le Temps.
With regard to the freedom for women to bathe topless in swimming pools, there have been no waves, especially since this authorization has already been granted for those who prefer the cold water of Lake Geneva or of the Rhone. Following a petition denouncing the overzealousness of the police, in 2017, the cantonal government modified the regulation dating from 1929. "We are lowering our moral principles concerning the upper body", explained then the president of the Board of state.
