Swiss parliament votes down direct counter-proposal to neutrality initiative

Swiss neutrality will not be defined further in the Constitution, after the two chambers of parliament accepted a proposal to turn down a direct counter-proposal to the so-called neutrality initiative. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The popular initiative to safeguard Swiss neutrality, tabled by the association Pro Switzerland and members of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, seeks to enshrine “perpetual and armed neutrality” in the Constitution. It also demands that Switzerland not join any military or defence alliance, nor adopt economic or diplomatic sanctions against a belligerent state under its obligations as a member of the United Nations. From the outset, the two chambers categorically rejected the initiative. However, the Senate had been in favour of a direct counter-proposal, thanks to the votes of the People’s Party and the Centre. It had considered it necessary to anchor current practice on neutrality in the Constitution. In the end …

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