Zurich-based NGO CampaxExternal link says it is spearheading a campaign in the hope of getting the Swiss authorities to change course as the Federal Council has “apparently lost its moral compass”.
The group made the launch of the initiative dependent on the government and parliament changing their policy and on the support of at least 25,000 supporters pledging to help collect a handful of signatures each.
The nascent Alliance against Arms Exports to Civil War Countries wants to prevent arms supplies to countries involved in “internal armed conflicts” and those that seriously and systematically violate human rights.
The group says Switzerland’s political leadership and arms industry is “neither interested in our humanitarian tradition nor in the widespread discomfort among the population when Swiss weapons fall into the hands of dictators and terrorists”.
It was referring to recent media reports claiming Swiss-made weapons had fallen into the hands of Islamic State group militants in Syria and were being bought on Facebook by Libyan militants. A report by the Federal Audit Office published this month showed weapons exports regulations are easy to bypass and Swiss authorities approve almost all export requests for war materiel.
“Arms exports should no longer be allowed to be approved over the heads of the population and parliament,” they said in a statement on Monday.
“Foreign policy is central to our understanding of ourselves as a nation within the international community. We want to decide for ourselves whether we want to fuel armed conflicts with arms supplies or whether we want to seek diplomatic solutions.”
Ultimately, the group would need to collect at least 100,000 signatures within 18 months to trigger a vote on the issue.
This content was published on
The cantonal parliament of Vaud has approved a loan of CHF9.5 million ($11.5 million) for Château de Chillon, the most-visited monument in Switzerland.
Swiss party president Thierry Burkart to step down in October
This content was published on
Thierry Burkart, president of the centre-right Radical-Liberal Party, wants to hand over the presidency in October, around two years before the next national elections.
Climate Alliance presents action plan on 20th anniversary
This content was published on
The Swiss Climate Alliance has presented an action plan showing how Switzerland could make a success of the energy transition and achieve a net zero balance within ten years.
Swiss business group expects export slump after strong start to year
This content was published on
The Swiss economy was still robust in the first quarter of 2025 but is coming under increasing pressure, says the Swiss business federation, economiesuisse.
Five arrested in Switzerland in human-trafficking raid
This content was published on
Law enforcement authorities in Switzerland and Romania have busted a human trafficking ring. They arrested a total of 17 suspects.
OECD significantly lowers Swiss GDP forecast due to Trump
This content was published on
The Swiss economy is likely to grow more slowly in 2025 and 2026 than previously assumed, according to the OECD economic organisation.
UBS economists more confident about Swiss economy in 2025
This content was published on
UBS economists have revised upwards their estimates of Swiss GDP growth for the current year. However, they are more pessimistic for next year, due to the spectre of US tariffs.
This content was published on
In a statement published on Thursday, the government said it had already communicated this position to the board of directors of Ruag Holding. The latter had accepted the cabinet’s decisions and recommendations. The Swiss government is the sole shareholder of the arms firm. In April, 16 organisations called on the government to reverse the arms company’s decision to…
At Zurich rally, calls for Swiss “solidarity cities” and safe routes
This content was published on
Over 3,000 people demonstrated in Zurich calling for safe routes for refugees, decriminalization of sea rescues, and the establishment of solidarity cities in Switzerland.
Swiss grenades spotted in arsenal of jihadists fighting in Syria
This content was published on
Members of the Islamic State group came into possession of Swiss grenades during the conflict in Syria, according to a Sunday news report.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.