The paper addresses current political responses to asylum and refugee policies in Switzerland. After the electoral success of the mass immigration initiative in February 2014 that sparked a wider European debate about migration and national sovereignty, all Swiss political parties have immigration on their agendas. Results from an empirical study on asylum and refugee policies in the canton of Zurich are presented that analyse the negotiations of different stakeholders on the federal levels of state, canton, and municipalities. Involved in the process in which the financing of integration measures for refugees are central are several government agencies, all political parties, and numerous civil society organizations that provide services for asylum seekers and refugees. The media have a peculiar role in moderating public sentiments that became more polarized by the campaigns of the Swiss people’s party (SVP) on immigration and integration of foreigners; their influence on the negotiations are outlined.
