Switzerland Rejects Referendum to Strengthen Neutrality and Limit NATO Cooperation
Maintaining Current Policies, Including Participation in NATO and EU Sanctions Against Russia
A proposed constitutional amendment to strengthen Switzerland’s neutrality was rejected in a national referendum, allowing the country to maintain its current foreign policy—remaining neutral yet cooperating militarily with NATO and participating in the European Union's (EU) sanctions against Russia.
According to AFP Yonhap News on September 27 (local time), the Swiss government announced that 70.15% of voters opposed and 29.85% supported the proposal in the neutrality referendum, with a voter turnout of 47.06%. The referendum was aimed at deciding whether to enshrine permanent and military neutrality in the Swiss constitution. Had it passed, the government's discretionary interpretation of neutrality would have been strictly limited. However, with the amendment's rejection, this has been nullified. At a press conference following the announcement of the results, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis emphasized, "This result is not a rejection of neutrality," adding, "Switzerland remained neutral yesterday, is neutral today, and will continue to be neutral in the future."
The referendum was spearheaded by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP). The SVP has criticized Switzerland for undermining its neutrality by maintaining its neutral status, refusing to join NATO or the EU, yet participating in sanctions against Russia and NATO’s military support for Ukraine. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, the Swiss government has joined the EU in sanctioning Russia 20 times. This involvement triggered controversy, with some in Swiss politics accusing the government of violating its neutrality principle.
In particular, the SVP demanded that, through the constitutional revision, Switzerland should refrain from joining international sanctions unless they are based on a United Nations Security Council resolution, and that cooperation with NATO should only be permitted if Switzerland is directly attacked. However, the Swiss government and other parties have opposed strengthening neutrality, arguing that it would lead to Switzerland's diplomatic isolation.
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Public opinion polls conducted before the referendum also showed a majority against the proposal. In a survey conducted by public broadcaster SRG and GFS Bern, 34% were in favor while 63% were opposed. Fabio Wasserfallen, professor of European politics at the University of Bern, told Reuters, "Swiss voters prefer neutrality, but they support the current way the government implements it."
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