Swiss voters reject stricter neutrality rules that would have curbed Nato cooperation

Swiss voters have decisively rejected a proposal for a strict definition of neutrality that would have required Switzerland to curb cooperation with Nato and abandon sanctions against Russia.

All cantons and about 70% of voters rejected the proposal for a strictly defined version of neutrality to be ⁠written into the Swiss constitution, final results from the Federal Statistical Office showed. The motion had been promoted by the far-right Swiss People’s party (SVP).

Although the defeat was expected, it will be a relief across Europe, amid increasing strains in maintaining EU unity on sanctions against Russia.

Switzerland’s centuries-old neutrality was formally recognised after the end of the Napoleonic wars in 1815. Critics of current government policy claim that status has been eroded by Switzerland’s decision to mirror EU sanctions against Russia, after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Voters were asked to decide on enshrining the principle of “perpetual and armed neutrality” in the constitution and barring Switzerland from joining any military alliances or imposing sanctions on warring states, unless mandated by the UN.

The outcome is a heavy defeat for the SVP’s billionaire backer, Christoph Blocher, who was a prominent supporter of the initiative, reported by Bloomberg to have spent 2m francs (€2.1m, £1.8m) on the campaign.

Opponents welcomed the results. “Voters understood what the SVP wanted: it wanted Switzerland to isolate itself internationally and shirk its responsibilities when international law is being trampled on,” said Sibel Arslan, a lawmaker for the Green party.

The Swiss government, along with most political parties, opposed the measure, arguing “Switzerland would cease to be a reliable partner in international security policy”, leaving the country less secure in the event of an attack and heavily restricting its ability to cooperate with Nato.

Although not a member of Nato, Switzerland has cooperated with the transatlantic military alliance for 30 years.

Analysts said the result showed Swiss people were content with how the government interpreted Swiss neutrality. “The people have spoken: they accept that neutrality is an instrument that can evolve, leaving the government with room for manoeuvre to adapt its application faced with geopolitical upheavals,” wrote Katy Romy, a correspondent for SwissInfo, the online service of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation.

She also wrote that the yes campaign was unable to shed perceptions it was acting in Russian interests.

Russia’s foreign ministry had praised the initiative, while criticising Switzerland’s adoption of EU sanctions and claiming the country was abandoning neutrality.

The SVP accepted the defeat and said it had no current plans for further action.