The Diplomat in Spain

Pedro Fernaud

Journalist

The Swiss could be called to vote in a referendum on their country’s historic neutrality after an initiative launched by two nationalist political parties gained enough signatures to move forward with the procedure.

The referendum is drawing 130,000 certified signatures, at a time when Switzerland has made decisions that contradict its usual position of impartiality, such as supporting EU sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Switzerland’s neutrality is a central concept in Swiss foreign policy that dates back centuries. That tradition of impartiality, which has brought the country so much prosperity, could come to an end if this initiative succeeds, paving the way for a national vote in the coming months on proposed constitutional amendments to enshrine Switzerland’s historic policy of neutrality in international affairs. So far, they have fulfilled the first requirement for the initiative to lead to a vote, as they have far surpassed the 100,000 signatures legally required for the issue to be finalised in a binding referendum.

The fuse that ignited the debate: support for EU sanctions on Russia

The debate over Switzerland’s neutrality intensified last year after the Swiss authorities followed in the EU’s footsteps by adopting increasing sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, contradicting a centuries-old tradition of not taking sides in global conflicts. A 2023 poll found that 91 per cent of Swiss voters approve of neutrality in general, although 75 per cent believed that sanctions against Russia are compatible with the principle, as reported in Time magazine.

This is not the first time such a shift in the ‘Swiss neutrality dance step’ has occurred. In 2022, a senior Swiss official also warned that the country would impose punitive measures should China invade Taiwan, although Switzerland did not join subsequent EU sanctions against China.

In any case, the initiative, put forward by the pro-Swiss advocacy group Pro Suisse, urges Switzerland to avoid joining any military alliance unless it comes under attack. According to its proponents, Swiss neutrality is something “perpetual” that should keep it out of any military alliance, such as NATO, of which Switzerland is not a member and with which the Swiss Confederation has been in talks since 2023 in the wake of the war in Ukraine. In addition, the bill calls for not imposing “non-military coercive measures” unless obliged to do so by the United Nations. The amendment also enshrines that “Switzerland uses its perpetual neutrality to prevent and resolve conflicts and is available as a mediator”.

In this regard, the authors of this initiative criticise the Swiss government’s implementation of EU sanctions against Russia for the invasion of Ukraine as “a thoughtless sacrifice” of the country’s impartiality. This is not the first time that this group of pro-neutrality activists has presented such an initiative in the country. Back in 2011, the Pro Suisse movement also promoted a campaign on Swiss neutrality, which aimed to limit the Swiss army’s aid missions abroad, although on that occasion it failed to gather enough signatures to push the motion through.

The dilemma between diplomatic security and foreign policy manoeuvrability

There has been no shortage of support for the motion. For example, the conservative Swiss People’s Party (SVP), which supports the initiative, has stated in an official communiqué that “the gradual dissolution of neutrality is a threat to Switzerland’s internal and external security”. A statement that is in line with the initiative of the pro-Swiss defence group, which explicitly opposes developing closer ties with NATO and wants the constitution to prohibit joining a military alliance except in the event of a direct military attack on the country. “Only when we are directly attacked could we ally with others. If we become part of the war, we must defend ourselves,” said Walter Wobmann, spokesman for the Pro-Switzerland platform and former SVP legislator.

Are there also critics of this position? Of course there are. Critics argue that strengthening the position of neutrality would isolate Switzerland by destabilising its relations with its partners. Along these lines, the Federal Council, which functions as Switzerland’s head of state and government, has opposed the initiative when it was presented, arguing that, if implemented, it would restrict Switzerland’s ability to manoeuvre in foreign and security policy.

Swiss law and foreign policy of neutrality

Swiss neutrality is supported by national legislation, including the Swiss Federal Constitution, which establishes neutrality as a fundamental principle of Swiss foreign policy. Along these lines, Switzerland is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) or of any military alliance, which reinforces its neutral position.

In terms of the main features of Swiss foreign policy, Switzerland strives to maintain diplomatic relations with all countries and thus avoids taking sides in international conflicts. As a neutral country, Switzerland acts as an intermediary in international conflicts and hosts several international organisations, such as the International Red Cross and the United Nations (UN).

What are the key elements of its defence strategy? Despite its neutrality, Switzerland has maintained a consistent defence policy and a well-equipped military force to protect its sovereignty in the event of aggression. So much so that Swiss defence is based on a militia system in which all citizens eligible for military service are trained and can be mobilised in case of need.

In short, Switzerland may not participate in wars between other countries, forge military alliances or grant troops, weapons or territorial transit rights to belligerents. In addition, all Swiss men are obliged to do military service and attend refresher courses for years. However, under the current framework, neutrality laws do not apply to civil wars or military operations authorised by the UN Security Council.

In all likelihood, Swiss citizens will soon be able to vote to express their opinion on whether they want to deepen this model by self-imposing restrictions on sanctions against other countries, or whether they want to qualify it: This would give them more leeway to engage in joint political, social and economic actions so that, in the face of violations of international law and the sovereignty of nations, as is happening in Ukraine with Russia and could happen in Taiwan with China, their rulers can support non-military coercive measures to try to redress the situation through diplomatic, political, economic or social channels, as appropriate.

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