Key facts
- Around 68% of voters are set to reject stricter neutrality rules, according to a 20Minuten and Tamedia poll.
- A separate GFS Bern poll for SRG showed 63% against the proposal.
- The proposed changes would bar Switzerland from cooperating with NATO or imposing sanctions on other countries.
- Supporters argue the changes would prevent the government from weakening neutrality and enhance Switzerland's mediation role.
- Opponents believe the initiative would restrict foreign policy responses and weaken national defense.
Voters in Switzerland are expected to reject proposed constitutional changes that would impose a stricter definition of the country's neutrality, barring cooperation with NATO and the imposition of sanctions on other nations. Two polls released ahead of the September 27 referendum indicate a clear majority against the initiative launched by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP).
A survey by 20Minuten and Tamedia found that approximately 68% of voters intend to reject the proposals, with only 31% in favor. A separate poll conducted by GFS Bern for broadcaster SRG showed 63% against the initiative and 34% in favor. Both polls indicated a rising opposition to the changes, which have been opposed by the Swiss government.
Swiss neutrality, recognized internationally since 1815 and enshrined in the constitution since 1848, has historically kept the country out of global conflicts. Christoph Blocher, a prominent SVP politician, argued last month that Switzerland's neutral status was threatened after the government imposed sanctions on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Supporters of the proposed changes contend that tightening the constitutional definition of neutrality would prevent the government from diluting it and would help Switzerland maintain its role as a credible mediator. However, opponents argue that the initiative would significantly limit Switzerland's ability to respond to foreign policy challenges and would weaken its defense capabilities. Nearly a quarter of respondents in the Tamedia poll suggested that refusing to impose sanctions for violations of international law would be perceived as siding with aggressors and would harm Switzerland's global reputation.