The Swiss rejected the initiative to tighten the country's neutrality

The proposal assumed that Switzerland could not join or cooperate with military and defense alliances unless it was attacked. It also provided for a ban on joining economic sanctions unless they were approved by the United Nations.

Switzerland's current policy of neutrality is not detailed in the constitution. Its international recognition dates back to 1815, the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

The initiative was supported by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP). The group argued that the country's neutrality was weakened when Bern adopted sanctions against Russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The government warned against isolation

The Swiss government and most political parties opposed the changes. Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis argued that the new regulations would harm the state's security and make joint training with NATO impossible.

Voters understood what the SVP wanted: international isolation of Switzerland and evasion of responsibility at a time when international law is being violated, said Green MP Sibel Arslan, quoted by Reuters.

The referendum result was welcomed by, among others, Green Party and Evangelical People's Party.

SVP accepted the vote result and informed that it currently does not plan any further actions in this matter.

Of course, I am not satisfied with the result, but it is encouraging that all sides of the campaign declared their commitment to Swiss neutrality, said SVP parliamentarian Lukas Reimann.

He added that his group would monitor the actions of political opponents. He noted that the party may raise the issue again if, in its opinion, the government departs from the principle of neutrality, for example by introducing tougher sanctions.

Fabio Wasserfallen, professor of European politics at the University of Bern, said in an interview with Reuters before the vote that the Swiss value neutrality, but at the same time accept the way in which the government is currently implementing it.