The federal popular initiative “Safeguarding Swiss neutrality”, known as the “neutrality initiative”, was submitted to the Federal Chancellery on April 11, 2024 by the initiative committee “Neutralitätsinitiative”, with around 130,000 valid signatures.
This initiative, launched by the Bloc right in the wake of the war in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, enshrines in the Constitution a stricter definition of Swiss neutrality. Switzerland could therefore no longer resume sanctions against a belligerent state outside the framework of the UN. Furthermore, it could cooperate with a military (NATO) or defensive alliance “only in the case of a direct military attack against the country”.
The Federal Council had already taken a position against it in June. He recalled today “that the inclusion in the Constitution of a rigid definition of neutrality is not in Switzerland’s interest and would reduce its room for maneuver in matters of foreign policy”. He therefore sends a message to this effect to Parliament, without a counter-proposal.
“The Federal Council,” he adds, “is convinced of the importance of neutrality for Switzerland. He believes that the current practice of neutrality, adopted 175 years ago, has proven itself. The exercise of flexible neutrality, within the framework of the provisions of existing international law, is of crucial importance, especially in the current international context.
Basically, he believes that “joining in sanctions that are widely approved internationally serves Switzerland’s interests, because these measures aim to maintain a peaceful and equitable international order. He also considers that it is in Switzerland’s interest to cooperate with military or defensive alliances.
