Key facts
- Two polls suggest Swiss voters will reject a proposal to tighten the country's neutrality.
- The initiative would prevent Switzerland from imposing economic sanctions or cooperating with NATO.
- The referendum is scheduled for September 27.
- The Swiss government and most political parties oppose the proposal.
- The right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP) is the main supporter of the initiative.
Two recent polls indicate that Swiss voters are likely to reject a proposal to redefine the country's neutrality in a referendum on September 27. The initiative, championed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP), seeks to enshrine a stricter, "perpetual and armed" neutrality in the constitution, which would prohibit participation in military alliances like NATO, bar the country from imposing economic sanctions, and prevent involvement in third-country wars.
According to a poll by GFS Bern for Swiss broadcaster SRG, 54% of voters opposed the narrower definition of neutrality, with 42% in favor. This aligns with an earlier survey conducted for newspapers 20 Minuten and Tamedia, which found that 62% of respondents were against the proposal, while 32% supported it.
The Swiss government, including Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, has voiced strong opposition to the initiative. Cassis stated that a more restrictive neutrality could isolate Switzerland, diminish its security, and create difficulties with neighboring countries. He argued that while neutrality is a core Swiss principle, it should not be so rigidly defined that it limits the government's ability to act.
Supporters of the initiative, primarily from the SVP, aim to prevent Switzerland from joining or cooperating with defense alliances unless attacked and to restrict its participation in sanctions, with exceptions for UN-mandated measures. The center-right FDP party has also come out against the proposal, with co-president Benjamin Muehlemann stating that prohibiting Switzerland from supporting international law violations would aid aggressors and that the country should align with peace, law, and democracy.