Swiss voters reject bid to enshrine strict neutrality in constitution

Swiss voters on Sunday rejected a proposal to enshrine a stricter form of neutrality in the country's constitution, according to final results released by the Federal Statistical Office. The measure was voted down by 70.2% of participants.

The referendum was triggered by an initiative from the group "Pro Switzerland," which had objected to Bern's decision to join European Union sanctions against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. The group gathered enough signatures to force a nationwide vote on writing into the constitution a guarantee that Swiss neutrality would be "armed and perpetual."

What the initiative would have changed

Had it passed, the proposal would have barred Switzerland from building closer ties with NATO or joining any military alliance, except in the event the country itself came under attack. It would also have prevented Switzerland from imposing sanctions unless called for by the United Nations.

Switzerland has maintained a policy of neutrality since 1516, a status that has been internationally recognized since 1815. Russia's war in Ukraine has nonetheless prompted renewed debate within the country over whether traditional non-involvement in foreign conflicts still fits current geopolitical realities.

Broad political opposition

Both the Swiss government and parliament had already come out against the initiative, arguing it was too rigid and would limit the country's room to maneuver amid rising geopolitical tensions. Only the national-conservative Swiss People's Party (SVP) backed the initiative, while all other major parties opposed it — even though both sides insisted they wanted to preserve Swiss neutrality itself.