Opponents deem proposed Swiss arms export rules ‘immoral’, ‘anti-Ukraine’

The relaxation of the law on military equipment will once again allow direct exports, even to countries embroiled in civil war. Keystone-SDA

Opponents of the proposed amendments to the law on war materiel launched their vote campaign by calling these changes "immoral" and "anti-Ukraine" during a press conference on Monday. Swiss citizens are set to vote on this bill, which aims to facilitate arms exports, on November 29.

“With this new law, Switzerland is completely relinquishing control over its arms exports,” the coalition opposing the new law told reporters in the capital Bern. The alliance comprises some 28 parties and organisations, including those on the left and the Evangelical People’s Party, as well as NGO Caritas, the Group for a Switzerland without an Army (GSsA), Justitia et Pax, and the Commission of the Swiss Bishops’ Conference.

The relaxation of the War Material Act will once again allow direct exports, even to countries embroiled in civil war. “For 36 countries, including the United States and Argentina – both governed by authoritarian leaders who flout democracy and human rights – the criteria for the export of military equipment will be completely abolished. A blank cheque for [Donald] Trump, [Javier] Milei and their ilk”, writes the alliance in a joint statement.

‘Not up to arms lobby to decide’

This new law reduces political safeguards and increases the weight of discretionary decisions, argued Alicia Giraudel of Amnesty International. According to her, “this vote is not just about arms exports […] it is about Switzerland’s credibility when it claims to defend human rights, the rule of law and international law”.

If voters approve the bill, the Swiss government will be allowed to waive the authorisation criteria relating to the export of military equipment. The grounds cited are vague “exceptional circumstances” and “Switzerland’s interests”, says parliamentarian Fabian Molina of the left-wing Social Democrats.

And anyone who buys weapons in Switzerland will be able to transfer them to any other country. Switzerland is the only country in Europe to adopt this practice, he added.

Swiss weapons could therefore very easily end up in Sudan or Israel and be used in Gaza. Decisions on arms exports do not merely have security and economic policy implications; they also have direct repercussions on the civilian population, on forced displacement and on refugee flows, said Martina Weber, a member of the Caritas executive board.

Ukraine, however, is excluded from this relaxation of the rules. The alliance sees this exception as a way of appeasing the right-wing Swiss People’s Party and arms manufacturers.

“It is not the arms lobby that decides, but the people,” said Lisa Mazzone, president of the left-leaning Green Party. In her view, it is morally and ethically indefensible for companies to profit from civil wars and the persecution of populations. Yet as soon as the so-called “correction” initiative was withdrawn, this lobby got back to business as usual, she claimed.

Arms industry ‘doing very well’

It is also a matter of trust, said parliamentarian Marc Jost of the Evangelical People’s Party, referring to the hard-won compromise reached in 2021 on the issue, which led to the withdrawal of the civil society initiative – which had been confident in the durability of that compromise. To call it into question after such a short time undermines political credibility, said Jost.

The issue of trust also arises in relation to other countries, he said. “Switzerland cannot, in the morning, act as a mediator in conflicts and, in the afternoon, supply the ammunition intended for those very same conflicts. That would deal a terrible blow to our good offices,” Jost added.

“Especially as the arms industry does not need this law, as it is, unfortunately, doing very well,” said Mazzone. Arms sales skyrocketed in 2025, with nearly CHF1-billion ($1.2 billion) worth of military equipment exported and orders totalling nearly CHF3 billion, the Geneva-based activist said.

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Translated from French/reviewed by an English Department journalist.