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Legal basis

On 30 September 2016, the Swiss parliament passed the Federal Act on Compulsory Social Measures and Placements prior to 1981 (CSMPA) by a clear majority. The CSMPA came into force on 1 April 2017. The Act has been amended and the deadline for applying for the solidarity contribution has been removed. Parliament approved the amended Act on 19 June 2020, and it came into force on 1 November 2020.

The CSMPA lays down the legal principles for a comprehensive reappraisal of the compulsory social measures and placements made before 1981, both for the individuals concerned and for society as a whole. A key element of this is acknowledging and providing redress for the injustice done to the victims of these measures and placements in Switzerland prior to 1981. To this end, various measures are planned, including the payment of a standard solidarity contribution of up to CHF 25,000 per victim, counselling and support via cantonal contact points, the provision of various services by the cantonal archives and a comprehensive academic inquiry.

The Federal Council Ordinance details certain aspects of the law, in particular the procedure for submitting an application for a solidarity contribution.

You will find more information on the background and the content of the CSMPA in the Federal Council Dispatch:

You will find further detailed information on this issue, and on the work of the roundtable, on the website of the former FDJP delegate for the victims of compulsory social measures:

Last modification 13.01.2022

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