Government slams opponents’ campaign ahead of army vote

The populist rightwing politician, Christoph Blocher, has been running a highly emotive campaign Keystone

The Swiss government has condemned a campaign by rightwing groups ahead of a nationwide vote on June 10 on increased international military cooperation. The president, Moritz Leuenberger, said they were using propaganda aimed at poisoning the political climate in Switzerland.

Leuenberger added that the campaign against the army proposals had led to the dirtiest and most acrimonious round of political mud slinging ahead of a vote.

Both Leuenberger and the defence minister, Samuel Schmid, have accused right-wing opponents of running an unfair and intolerable campaign to turn voters against the government’s proposals, which call for greater cooperation between Swiss and Nato forces.

Schmid said he had become the target of threats and invective, as well as other personal attacks by militant opponents in the past few days. The authorities have stepped up security for Schmid to prevent further incidents.

In response, the right-wing opponents, led by a prominent member of parliament, Christoph Blocher, said the government was obviously lacking convincing arguments to win over voters.

The opponents also demanded an apology from the president for his criticism and said the government had no right to dictate the campaign and ride on high moral ground.

The right-wing Swiss People’s Party and the grouping, Action for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland, of which Blocher is a member, have been running a highly emotive campaign over the past two months ahead of the vote.

They accuse the government of wanting to betray Switzerland’s traditional neutrality by seeking increased international military cooperation with Nato member states and by allowing Swiss soldiers to be armed during international peacekeeping missions.

The right-wing opponents have also put up posters across the country showing military cemeteries and warning voters not to endanger the lives of Swiss soldiers abroad.

The government, which is also facing opposition from peace groups and anti-army organisations, insists Swiss troops will not be involved in combat missions and that training exercises with other European armies does not infringe on Swiss neutrality.

Latest opinion polls indicate a close race on June 10. A survey shows supporters of the proposals losing ground to opponents. The margin dropped to between 8 and 15 per cent. But more than 20 per cent of voters are said to be still undecided.

swissinfo with agencies