Swiss citizens will finally cast their votes in a long-running debate on whether their country should remain neutral – despite the mounting geopolitical tensions.
In March 2024, the sovereigntist organisation Pro Schweiz – an offshoot of the populist Swiss People’s Party (SVP) – has collected more than enough signatures to launch a vote aimed at better anchoring Swiss neutrality in the country’s Constitution.
It has since then been waiting to be put on the referendum agenda.
This is now done: on May 27th, the Federal Council announced that the initiative, called ‘Safeguard Swiss Neutrality,’ will be voted on September 27th.
What exactly does this measure seek?
Its instigators want to enshrine Swiss neutrality in the Constitution as “perpetual and armed.”
“It cannot be modified easily and at will on the basis of current events,” Pro Schweiz states on its website.
Pro Schweiz is also opposed to closer ties with NATO and wants the Constitution to expressly prohibit joining this (or any other) military alliances, except in the event of a direct attack against the country.
Additionally, the organisation seeks to restrict Swiss government’s right to impose sanctions on rogue nations.
Who is for and against this idea?
Predictably, the SVP is fully on board, with its commitment “to preserving an independent and neutral Switzerland.”
For its part, the Federal Council retorted that it is against adopting a tighter definition of Switzerland’s neutrality, insisting that it would seriously limit the country’s defence options.
“Enshrining a rigid understanding of neutrality in the federal constitution is not in Switzerland’s interests and would restrict its room for manoeuvre in foreign policy terms,” the government said.
“This would mean that sanctions could no longer be imposed on belligerent states and cooperation with military or defence alliances would be severely curtailed,” it added.
What about public’s perception of neutrality?
According to an opinion survey carried out in July 2025 by Sotomo research institute, only 30 percent of respondents considered neutrality to be the highest ideal for the country.
In fact, the principle of neutrality ranked seventh and last, behind sovereignty and solidarity.
READ MORE: Why is Switzerland always neutral?
