Switzerland Proposes Abolishing ‘Divorced’ Civil Status

Accra: The Swiss government has announced its intention to eliminate the 'divorced' civil status designation, supporting an initiative proposed by liberal lawmaker Nadine Gobet. This move aims to change how divorced individuals are classified on official documents. According to Ghana News Agency, Gobet, a member of the liberal Free Democratic Party, has raised concerns about the ongoing requirement for divorced individuals to declare their status on forms, even many years after the divorce has been finalized. She argues that the label is unnecessary since divorce is a legally resolved matter. The Swiss parliament is now tasked with deliberating on this proposal. If it is approved, the necessary legislative changes will be initiated to implement the new classification system. Gobet has pointed out that requiring individuals to permanently label themselves as 'divorced' leads to the administrative perpetuation of a private event. Gobet has recommended that once divorced, individuals should be allowed to reve rt to the 'single' status on official documents, removing the ongoing administrative reminder of their past marital status.