Swiss neutrality faces new tests

Switzerland is famous for keeping its nose out of the business of other countries, but some citizens are worried it’s starting to pick sides. 

What happened: Swiss parliament voted against joining an international task force to enforce sanctions against Russia. The decision comes as lawmakers and citizens grapple with what it means to be a neutral country in an increasingly tense Europe.

Catch-up: Besides chocolate and Alpine skiing, there’s nothing more Swiss than neutrality — the policy of not getting involved in other countries’ conflicts — a stance it’s held for over 500 years. But, two years into the war in Ukraine, the status of neutrality is up in the air.

• Switzerland has worked with the EU to levy economic sanctions against Russia since the invasion. While this is technically allowed, neutrality purists feel it’s a violation.

Big picture: Later this year, the Swiss will likely vote in a referendum on a “Neutrality Initiative” that aims to constitutionally enshrine neutrality and impose a stricter definition of it. 

• If voters vote yes on the referendum, Switzerland would be barred from joining any military bloc — unless it was in response to a direct attack — and would be forced to end its sanctions on Russia under new rules prohibiting coercive economic sanctions.

Why it matters: Furor in Switzerland over neutrality shows how war in Ukraine has upended the feeling of security in Europe. Since the start of the war, we’ve already seen Finland and Sweden disavow their long-standing neutrality policies for armed conflicts and join NATO. 

Bottom line: Neutrality is still immensely popular, with one survey finding that 91% of the Swiss population supports it. However, another survey also found that 55% favour re-export of Swiss arms to Ukraine, indicating that the definition of neutrality is flexible for many.—QH