Overview
- Swiss voters rejected the SVP-backed initiative by about 70 percent, with majorities in all 26 cantons according to official results reported after the Sept. 27 referendum.
- The proposed amendment would have written a strict ‘perpetual and armed’ neutrality into the constitution and barred peacetime cooperation with military alliances.
- Had it passed, the measure would have allowed only United Nations Security Council–approved sanctions, a rule that critics said would let any permanent council member with a veto block Swiss sanctions on countries like Russia.
- The federal government, parliament and nearly all major parties campaigned against the proposal, arguing it would limit Switzerland’s room to respond to security crises and to coordinate with European and transatlantic partners.
- Switzerland has long applied neutrality flexibly; voters’ decision keeps that approach in place and leaves open further debates on related issues such as arms-export rules set for a November ballot.