Swiss voters rejected an initiative aimed at strengthening the country’s official neutrality in a public referendum. Following counting in 14 cantons on Sunday afternoon, it was already clear that the popular petition had failed to secure the necessary support across the cantons.
The initiative sought to embed a “perpetual and armed” neutrality directly into the constitution, specifically calling for limitations on cooperation with military alliances such as NATO. Furthermore, the proposal-backed by the right-wing populist Swiss People’s Party (SVP)-demanded a general prohibition on applying sanctions unless they were mandated by the UN Security Council.
Opponents of the initiative countered that Switzerland’s security relies on cooperation with other nations and stressed that perpetrators and victims of armed conflict cannot be treated equally.
In a TV debate, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis argued that Swiss neutrality has always been managed with a degree of flexibility. He insisted that neutrality should not be equated with indifference, and asserted that Switzerland should not evade international law violations simply to protect its own interests or maintain peace.
