The Swiss Neutrality Debate: An Overview
Since the “Zeitenwende”, the shape of Switzerland’s neutrality has once again become a controversial subject domestically. The Federal Council has so far seen no need to change course, but will have to brace itself for intense debate in view of the “Neutrality Initiative”. This is also an opportunity to discuss in depth the question of a foreign and security policy that is fit for purpose and that serves Switzerland’s interests.
In response to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, the Federal Council took a clear stance in late February 2022, condemning the breach of international law “in the strongest possible terms” and adopting the EU’s sanctions. However, since then, Switzerland has found it difficult to draw strategic conclusions from the Zeitenwende and is more divided than usual in terms of its geopolitical positioning and security policy.
One of the controversial issues is the future shape of Switzerland’s neutrality. Calls by Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis to initiate a reform debate were not taken up by the Federal Council. Instead, the Federal Council concluded in its Neutrality Report of October 2022 that “the practice of neutrality established in 1993 and pursued since then still provides Switzerland with sufficient leeway to respond to events in Europe following the outbreak of the Ukraine war.” However, fundamental changes to the concept of neutrality are up for debate, for example with the "Neutrality Initiative".
In this CSS Analyses, Daniel Möckli, Head of Think Tank at CSS, discusses the current reform proposals on the concept of neutrality and their implications for Swiss foreign and security policy. He shows how Switzerland could maximise its political leeway with significantly less extensive changes to its neutrality practice.