Swiss voters reject neutrality plan after Russia sanctions row — SkimNews
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- Swiss voters rejected a proposal to tighten the country's neutrality rules with 70% voting against, carrying majorities in all 26 regions in Sunday's national referendum
- The proposal, backed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party, would have barred Switzerland from joining sanctions against any country unless imposed by the UN Security Council — where Russia holds veto power as a permanent member
- The initiative emerged directly after Switzerland joined EU sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine; supporters argued the government had moved "dangerously close" to the EU and NATO
- The rejected plan would also have blocked cooperation with alliances like NATO except in cases of direct threat, ending three decades of partnership; neutrality has been in Switzerland's constitution since the mid-19th century
- Two voters captured both arguments — Bolomey, a 65-year-old retiree originally from Hawaii, voted yes citing security, while Jihad Azkoul, 78, originally from New York, voted no, asking whether neighbors would protect Switzerland if Russia attacked
- The result preserves Bern's authority to align with EU sanctions and maintain limited NATO cooperation as it sees fit, under Switzerland's quarterly direct-democracy referendum system
Why it matters: With 70% rejection across all 26 Swiss regions, the government keeps the flexibility to align with EU sanctions on Russia and continue its three-decade NATO cooperation — a defeat for the Swiss People's Party, which had argued Bern drifted "dangerously close" to Brussels. The vote also closes a debate triggered by Switzerland's earlier decision to adopt Russia-related sanctions, with the UN Security Council veto detail exposing that the rejected plan would have functionally protected any permanent member from Swiss punitive measures.
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