Swiss voters reject in a referendum an initiative that would have barred the country from imposing sanctions on warring states

Swiss voters in a referendum rejected an initiative that would have barred the country from imposing sanctions on warring states

Swiss citizens rejected a popular initiative to preserve the country’s neutrality in a referendum on September 27. According to preliminary government data, more than 70% of participants voted against it. Not a single canton supported the initiative

The initiative proposed enshrining “perpetual and armed” neutrality in the constitution: the country would have been barred from joining military and defense alliances and cooperating with them, except in cases when the country is attacked or an attack is being prepared. It also would not have been allowed to impose sanctions against warring states, except for UN sanctions and measures against their circumvention.

In late August, Switzerland’s Foreign Ministry warned that if the initiative were adopted, sanctions against Russia would have to be reviewed; Switzerland largely joined those sanctions after 2022 following the EU’s lead. The government, parliament, and the main parties opposed the initiative, except for the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), from whose circle the initiative originated.

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