The Geneva City Council has rejected a proposal aimed at strengthening diversity and inclusion policies.
The motion sought to assess existing measures and appoint a dedicated diversity manager, and encourage applications from underrepresented groups in public sector hiring.
Supporters argued it would help address persistent discrimination, while critics said it risked introducing identity-based divisions into recruitment and undermining a merit-based approach.
After a heated debate, the right-wing majority narrowly voted down the proposal by 40 votes to 37.