The Swiss Federal Council has recommended that Parliament reject the “Preservation of Swiss Neutrality” initiative, presented by representatives of “Pro Switzerland” and the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), without a counterproposal.
The initiative, which calls for a permanent and armed neutrality in the Swiss Constitution, would severely limit Switzerland’s political flexibility, particularly in terms of sanctions and military alliances. Parliament will now decide whether to include a broad ban on sanctions against belligerent states and a permanent neutral stance in the country’s constitution.
Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis acknowledged that much of the initiative’s content aligns with Switzerland’s current neutrality practices and international law. For example, Switzerland is not a member of any military alliance, a stance that remains in place.
However, the initiative seeks a permanent and unchangeable neutrality, which could restrict Switzerland’s ability to adapt its foreign policy in response to evolving global circumstances. Cassis emphasized that such a rigid framework would be counterproductive and could harm Switzerland’s ability to respond to new situations flexibly.
Neutrality has been an integral part of Swiss identity since it was enshrined in the constitution in 1848. While it has evolved over time, it has always served Switzerland’s interests in foreign policy, security, and economic matters.
The Federal Council believes that a flexible approach to neutrality has proven successful and allows Switzerland to remain independent in its foreign policy and respond to emerging challenges. Cassis also highlighted the potential negative consequences of the initiative, such as severely limiting cooperation with military alliances like NATO, especially in the event of direct military threats to Switzerland.
Additionally, if the initiative were approved, Switzerland would no longer be able to support sanctions like those imposed on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Switzerland would only be able to adopt sanctions imposed by the United Nations, potentially undermining its international standing and foreign policy influence.
Cassis warned that rejecting sanctions, as would be required by the initiative, could have serious diplomatic and economic repercussions, pointing to the fallout from Switzerland’s failure to support sanctions against Russia in 2022.
