Swiss Voters Reject Bid to Enshrine Stricter Neutrality

Swiss voters rejected a bid to enshrine stricter neutrality in the constitution, preserving the government’s freedom to interpret the doctrine flexibly and maintain sanctions against Russia.

The initiative received about 31% support, with 69% voting against it, according to early government results on Sunday as ballots were still being counted. The outcome broadly matched final polls.

The proposal would have declared Switzerland’s neutrality “eternal and armed,” barred the country from joining military alliances and prevented it from imposing sanctions not approved by the United Nations.

The initiative was a response to Switzerland’s decision to mirror European Union sanctions against Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Supporters argued that the move breached the country’s neutrality — a view echoed by Moscow, which urged Swiss voters to back the proposal.

The government, parliament and all major parties except the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, or SVP, opposed the initiative. Billionaire former SVP leader Christoph Blocher spent 2 million francs ($2.4 million) campaigning for it.

The vote wasn’t a verdict on neutrality itself, which remains widely supported. Instead, it preserves the government’s ability to apply the doctrine pragmatically rather than bind it via stricter constitutional rules.

It’s the second SVP-backed initiative voters have rejected this year. In June, they turned down a proposal to cap Switzerland’s population at 10 million. Under the country’s system of direct democracy, voters can be called to the polls up to four times a year

In a separate ballot on Sunday, voters also rejected a plan to produce more food locally. The proposal, which would have indirectly reduced domestic meat production, received just 24% support.

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