Swiss voters will decide whether to ban foreign sanctions and restrict military cooperation under a proposed constitutional amendment.
Swiss voters will decide Sunday whether to enshrine stricter neutrality rules in the Constitution, including a ban on economic sanctions against third countries and tighter restrictions on international military cooperation.
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The proposed “Neutrality Initiative,” backed by the right-wing political association Pro Schweiz, would prohibit Switzerland from joining or cooperating with military or defense alliances unless the country itself came under armed attack.
It would also bar Switzerland from participating in wars between third states and prevent it from imposing economic sanctions on parties to armed conflicts, except when such measures have the direct backing of the United Nations.
Supporters say the restrictions are necessary to strengthen Switzerland’s role as a “credible peace mediator” on the international stage.
The Swiss government has opposed the initiative, arguing that a legal ban on participation in international sanctions would significantly limit the flexibility of its foreign policy and its ability to protect national interests.
The initiative was launched by Pro Schweiz after controversy over Switzerland’s decision in 2022 to join European Union sanctions against Russia following the launch of its military operation in Ukraine.
The move was described by the initiative’s supporters as a departure from Switzerland’s longstanding diplomatic tradition.
Opinion polling cited in the source material indicates that the government’s position has the backing of a majority of voters. A representative survey of 26,000 citizens published in June found that 54 percent opposed the initiative, while 34 percent supported it and 12 percent remained undecided.
A longstanding policy
Switzerland’s permanent neutrality was formally recognized internationally in the 1815 Treaty of Paris following Napoleon’s defeat and was later reaffirmed in the 1907 Hague Conventions.
The country’s neutrality has nevertheless been tested by its actions at different points in history. During World War II, Switzerland traded arms with Nazi Germany and restricted the passage of Jewish refugees.
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