Swiss voters rejected a bid to enshrine stricter neutrality in the constitution, preserving the government’s freedom to interpret the doctrine flexibly and maintain sanctions against Russia.
– The initiative received about 31% support, with 69% voting against it, according to early government results on Sunday as ballots were still being counted. The outcome broadly matched final polls.
– The proposal would have declared Switzerland’s neutrality “eternal and armed,” barred the country from joining military alliances and prevented it from imposing sanctions not approved by the United Nations.
– The initiative was a response to Switzerland’s decision to mirror European Union sanctions against Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Supporters argued that the move breached the country’s neutrality — a view echoed by Moscow, which urged Swiss voters to back the proposal.
– The government, parliament and all major parties except the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, or SVP, opposed the initiative. Billionaire former SVP leader Christoph Blocher spent 2 million francs ($2.4 million) campaigning for it.
– The vote wasn’t a verdict on neutrality itself, which remains widely supported. Instead, it preserves the government’s ability to apply the doctrine pragmatically rather than bind it via stricter constitutional rules.
– It’s the second SVP-backed initiative voters have rejected this year. In June, they turned down a proposal to cap Switzerland’s population at 10 million. Under the country’s system of direct democracy, voters can be called to the polls up to four times a year
– In a separate ballot on Sunday, voters also rejected a plan to produce more food locally. The proposal, which would have indirectly reduced domestic meat production, received just 24% support.
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-voters-reject-bid-to-enshrine-stricter-neutrality/92126770