Maintaining Neutrality (cross-border guide)

Context

In a nutshell

• The Federal Council intends to maintain the current room for manoeuvre on neutrality.
• The popular initiative on neutrality will be voted on September 27.

Key facts

• What: Popular Neutrality Initiative
• When: September 27
• Where: Switzerland
• Who: Federal Council
• Amount: Not specified

The Federal Council gave reasons for the government's 'no' to the neutrality initiative. The head of the FDFA, Ignazio Cassis, supported the maintenance of the status quo. Only in this way would Switzerland retain a margin of manoeuvre in foreign policy.

The initiative aims to enshrine in the Federal Constitution a rigid conception of neutrality. The Federal Council and Parliament emphasise that the Constitution today knowingly guarantees a certain flexibility to be able to react adequately, in the interest of Switzerland, to rapidly changing geopolitical situations.

Neutrality is already a constitutional practice, said the Federal Councillor for Ticino. Even if the initiative is rejected, Switzerland would remain permanently and armed neutrally. It would not join any military or defence alliance and would not participate in conflicts between third States.

The initiative calls for Bern not to adopt autonomous or EU-imposed sanctions, except those of the UN. According to Cassis' you don't change running horses'. It has something that has been working for 180 years: it is better not to touch it since we know what we leave but not

Operational details

The neutrality initiative aims to enshrine in the Federal Constitution a rigid conception of neutrality. The Federal Council and Parliament emphasise that the Constitution today knowingly guarantees a certain flexibility to be able to react adequately, in the interest of Switzerland, to rapidly changing geopolitical situations.

Neutrality is already a constitutional practice, said the Federal Councillor for Ticino. Even if the initiative is rejected, Switzerland would remain permanently and armed neutrally. It would not join any military or defence alliance and would not participate in conflicts between third States.

The initiative calls for Bern not to adopt autonomous or EU-imposed sanctions, except those of the UN. According to Cassis' you don't change running horses'. It has something that has worked for 180 years: it is better not to touch it since we know what we leave but we do not know what we find'.

In his view, 'more words in the Constitution do not mean more neutrality'. The Ticino politician then recalled that, if the initiative passed, among the effects' there would be a kind of isolation of Switzerland on the economic level and above all – and it is the most 'difficult' aspect – on the security policy level.

These days we also continue to collaborate with other armies to prepare ourselves and to have an army ready. Otherwise it would become an illusion. '

The popular initiative, presented by Pro Switzerland and

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Key points

The Federal Council gave reasons for the government's 'no' to the neutrality initiative. The head of the FDFA, Ignazio Cassis, supported the maintenance of the status quo. Only in this way would Switzerland retain a margin of manoeuvre in foreign policy.

The initiative aims to enshrine in the Federal Constitution a rigid conception of neutrality. The Federal Council and Parliament emphasise that the Constitution today knowingly guarantees a certain flexibility to be able to react adequately, in the interest of Switzerland, to rapidly changing geopolitical situations.

Neutrality is already a constitutional practice, said the Federal Councillor for Ticino. Even if the initiative is rejected, Switzerland would remain permanently and armed neutrally. It would not join any military or defence alliance and would not participate in conflicts between third States.

The initiative calls for Bern not to adopt autonomous or EU-imposed sanctions, except those of the UN. According to Cassis' you don't change running horses'. It has something that has worked for 180 years: it is better not to touch it since we know what we leave but we do not know what we find'.

In his view, 'more words in the Constitution do not mean more neutrality'. The Ticino politician then recalled that, if he passed the initiative, among the effects' there would be a kind of isolation of Switzerland on the economic level and above all – and it is the most 'difficult' aspect – on the

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Source: rsi.ch