Picture gallery Isolationism vs_ Opening up – Votes Switzerland Original

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"Out of the nutshell" was the name of this poster for the 1986 vote on Switzerland's accession to the UN, which was rejected by 75.7% - at the time, Switzerland had been providing soldiers for UN missions for more than three decades. Keystone

Accession to the European Economic Area EEA was rejected by 50.3% in a referendum in 1992 (here is a picture from a later commemorative event). One of the arguments put forward by opponents was a violation of Swiss neutrality - which is still the case today in all votes that have an international dimension. Keystone

The blue helmet proposal was rejected by 57.2% in 1994. For the third time in several years, the government was defeated at the ballot box on a fundamental foreign policy issue - which was interpreted abroad as increasing isolationism. The bill provided a legal basis for the participation of Swiss troops in UN peacekeeping missions and the CSCE (Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe). Keystone

"Solidarity instead of soldiers" was the name of the committee that campaigned against two proposals to revise military law. Both the arming of Swiss peacekeepers abroad and military training cooperation were adopted by a very narrow margin. Since then, Swisscoy soldiers have also been able to arm themselves. Keystone / Yoshiko Kusano

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