Swiss Neutrality Vote Defeated
Swiss Voters Overwhelmingly Reject Proposal to Enshrine Stricter Constitutional Neutrality
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Swiss voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to enshrine stricter neutrality in the constitution, with more than 70% voting against it and every canton rejecting it, revising the earlier reported figure of about 68%. The proposal would have barred sanctions not approved by the U.N. Security Council, curtailed cooperation with NATO and other military partners, and required permanent armed neutrality. Backed by the Swiss People’s Party and openly supported by Moscow, it followed Switzerland’s adoption of EU sanctions against Russia after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The result preserves the government’s flexibility to impose sanctions and cooperate internationally when it considers that beneficial to Switzerland’s security; officials said the vote did not reject neutrality itself, while supporters argued stricter rules would protect Switzerland’s credibility as an impartial diplomatic hub. Switzerland’s neutrality was internationally recognized in 1815 and codified in 1907, and a separate vote on arms-export rules was expected in November.
Key Points
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Billionaire former Swiss People’s Party leader Christoph Blocher spent about 3.9 million francs ($4.7 million) campaigning for the initiative.
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Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said Switzerland mirrored EU sanctions because Ukraine’s fate directly affects a small country like Switzerland: “We depend on a world in which rules are respected.”
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Switzerland maintains a ban on arms sales to countries at war; it previously rejected Germany’s request for ammunition for tanks being sent to Ukraine.
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The proposal was opposed not only by the federal government but by all major parties other than the Swiss People’s Party; the Green Party argued it would leave Switzerland isolated and avoiding its responsibilities under international law.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativeNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
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