Swiss Senate insists on counter-proposal to neutrality initiative

Council of States insists on counter-proposal to neutrality initiative Keystone-SDA

The Swiss Senate wants to continue to enshrine neutrality in the Constitution. On Thursday, it insisted on a counter-proposal to the neutrality initiative. In doing so, it opposed the House of Representatives and the federal government.

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The small chamber reached its decision by a narrow margin of 21 votes to 21 with one abstention and a casting vote by the President of the Senate, Stefan Engler from the Centre party. It thus followed a minority of the pre-advisory committee from the ranks of the Swiss People’s Party and the Centre.

It therefore remains unclear whether the neutrality initiative will be put to a vote by the people and the cantons with or without a direct counter-proposal. Last week, the House spoke out against a counter-proposal, and the government is of the same opinion.

The initiative by Pro Switzerland and Swiss People’s Party proponents calls for “perpetual and armed” neutrality and a broad ban on sanctions to be written into the Constitution. 

The Senate must now consider the matter again. If it does not vote in favour of the counter-proposal a second time, it will be off the table.

The Senate rejected the initiative last summer because, although it wanted to enshrine permanent and armed neutrality in the Constitution, it did not want to restrict the possibilities for sanctions. Accordingly, it adopted an alternative article on neutrality as a direct counter-proposal.

Swiss citizens are expected to vote on the neutrality initiative in 2026.

Translated from German by AI/jdp

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