Popular Initiative Seeks to Anchor Swiss Neutrality in the Constitution

What is the substantive content?

The principle that foreign-policy measures toward individual states may only be taken with an explicit basis from the United Nations would thus be formulated in binding terms. This is intended to prevent Switzerland from participating in sanctions alliances that are supported only by individual countries or regional groupings. The wording would also exclude Switzerland's involvement in economic coercive measures such as import or export bans, provided no UN resolution exists.

According to the available information, the initiative has not yet been submitted. As a rule, a collection phase is to precede it, in which signatures must be gathered for it to come about. Only after submission to the Federal Chancellery does the parliamentary process and, where applicable, the popular vote begin.

The popular initiative is part of a longer debate over the interpretation of neutrality. In recent years, the Federal Council has already taken positions on individual sanctions packages, usually referring to a close alignment with the UN. The initiative would constitutionally cement this practice.

Previous practice and anchoring

Unlike draft measures, a popular initiative does not provide for a single sanction to be decided individually. It shifts competence to a popular vote on the question of whether neutrality should in principle be formulated in a more binding manner. This makes the proposal a directional draft, on which a vote could be held at the earliest once all signatures are available.

According to the available reports, the initiative's backers include circles close to the SVP. The SVP has for years expressed criticism of an expansion of sanctions policy and has repeatedly spoken out against adopting EU sanctions regimes. The other Federal Council parties are opposed to the project according to the sources' assessment, which locates the initiative already in advance within a party-political "no" camp.

According to the available information, committees in several cantons have begun collecting signatures. Concrete figures on signatures collected were not cited in the sources. For a popular initiative to come about, 100,000 valid signatures are required within 18 months of publication in the Federal Gazette.

Backers and political environment

A review by the Swiss government on neutrality recently reignited the discussion on sanctions against Russia. The Federal Council had in the past justified adopting individual sanctions packages against Russia by reference to the UN and partly to the EU. A popular initiative with the present wording would restrict this practice: Because of the binding to UN resolutions, an independent sanctions policy toward Russia or other countries would not be constitutionally possible without further ado.

In further proceedings, the initiative must first be declared admissible, which Parliament examines. Thereafter, a message from the Federal Council is prepared and, if applicable, a vote is held in Parliament and among the people. According to the sources' assessment, the earliest possible vote at the ballot box would take place at the earliest in a few years.

Open questions and timetable

Opponents of the draft argue that tying to UN resolutions would severely restrict Switzerland's capacity to act in foreign policy. Supporters see in it a clear strengthening of the credibility of Swiss neutrality. In any case, the draft is likely to generate a broad debate.

Observers point out that similar popular initiatives in earlier years only had a chance when a broad committee drawn from several parties supported them. Whether the draft reaches this threshold remains open.