Kurds in Switzerland

Population

In 2012 the Swiss authorities estimated that about 110,000 and in 2015, that ca. 150,000 Kurdish speakers were living in Switzerland. Its centre is the region around Basel, where in 2010 it was assumed that 100,000 Kurds reside.

Political representation

Basel

There are several politicians of Kurdish origin in Switzerland. From Canton Basel-Stadt, two members of the National Council, (the lower chamber of the Swiss Parliament), Mustafa Atici from the Social Democratic Party (SP) and Sibel Arslan from the party Basta! are of Kurdish origin. In the Grand Council of Basel-Stadt five members are of Kurdish origin. Bülent Pekerman presides over the Grand Council since February 2023. During the Turkish invasion of Afrin, Syria the Grand Council of Basel-Stadt issued a resolution in strong terms, demanding the diplomatic intervention by Switzerland who is the depository of the Geneva Convention and the host of the European seat of the United Nations.

Berne

Hasim Sancar is a member of the Grand Council of Berne.

Political activism

If the Kurds rights are violated like during the suppression by the Turkish authorities of the hunger strikes in Turkish prisons in December 2000 or the Turkish invasion into North East Syria in 2019 there are often organized manifestations in support of the Kurds.

In January 2026, thousands of Kurds in Switzerland demonstrated against the Syrian transitional government’s offensive targeting Kurdish-controlled regions in northeastern Syria.

Organizations

Dem-Kurd

Dem-Kurd is an organization that provides with an education in Kurdish cultural heritage which in their country of origin they are often not able to access. Dem Kurd is organized into several commissions concerning to media, language, music and women.

Kurdish Red Crescent

The Swiss branch the Kurdish Red Crescent has its seat in Lausanne, at the shores of Lake Geneva.

In popular culture

The movie Journey of Hope by Xavier Koller has portrayed the flight of a Kurdish family into Switzerland and was awarded an Oscar in 1991. Notable Swiss of Kurdish decent includes former professional footballer Eren Derdiyok, professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer Volkan Oezdemir and Swiss businessman and politician Mustafa Atici.

Notable people

• Dadvan Yousuf

References

References

1. "Explore the Kurdish Diaspora Map and History".
2. Haab, Katharina. (2010). "Diaspora und Migrantengemeinschaften aus der Türkei in der Schweiz". Bundesamt für Migration, Schweizer Eidgenossenschaft.
3. "The Kurdish Diaspora".
4. "Population résidante permanente de 15 ans et plus, ayant comme langue principale: kurde, en 2012". Statistics of Switzerland.
5. "Les langues principales les plus fréquentes de la population résidente permanente âgée de 15 ans ou plus, 2015".
6. (21 October 2019). "Nationalratswahlen - Basel setzt im Nationalrat auf kurdische Wurzeln".
7. (23 September 2019). "Türkisch-kurdische Wurzeln - Wahlkampf in der türkischen Buchhandlung".
8. "Basel'de Kürdistanlı adayların zaferi". YeniOzgurPolitika.com.
9. "Medienmitteilungen".
10. "Resolution zu Afrin/Syrien: Der Grosse Rat fordert vom Bundesrat Einsatz für das humanitäre Völkerrecht".
11. (14 September 2015). "Schweiz - Neue alte Sorgen: Kurden-Konflikt in den Strassen Berns".
12. "Detailansicht Mitglied (Mitglieder) Grosser Rat - Kanton Bern".
13. "Kurden-Proteste".
14. Keystone-SDA/ug, swissinfo ch with. "Public protests continue in Swiss cities against Turkey".
15. Müller, Annika. "Ein Blick in die kurdische Diaspora in Zürich".
16. Keystone-SDA/jc. "Thousands in Zurich protest Turkey's Syria offensive".
17. (25 January 2026). "Thousands protest in Zurich for Kurds in Syria". [[SWI swissinfo]].
18. "Dem-Kurd - Centre communautaire démocratique des Kurdes en Suisse".
19. "Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê Swîsre {{!}}".
20. "Journey of Hope (Reise der Hoffnung) (Switzerland / Turkey / UK, 1990) {{!}} UC Berkeley Library".
21. "The 63rd Academy Awards {{!}} 1991".