The Swiss Federal Council (executive body) has postponed a decision on ratifying the United Nations treaty banning nuclear weapons until 2020, rejecting calls from Parliament to sign the treaty.
In a statementExternal link released on Wednesday, the Federal Council said that it would like more time to reflect on Switzerland’s accession to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and take stock of the latest international developments and the security situation. This includes the recent withdrawal of the United States and the Russian Federation from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
In 2017, Switzerland approved the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty but last summer, decided not to sign it, drawing ire from non-governmental organisations who say it calls into question the Alpine nation’s humanitarian tradition. The Federal Council has argued that the reasons not to ratify the treaty outweigh the potential opportunities.
Concerns also stem from the belief that the treaty could potentially affect other international texts such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which recognises the US, Russia, France, China and Britain as nuclear powers.
The agreement creates an explicit ban on nuclear weapons. Signatories commit not to develop, test, produce, acquire, possess, stockpile, use or threaten to use nuclear weapons.
The anti-nuclear weapons organisation ICAN, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017, has long advocated a ban, as has the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Parliament has strongly supported Switzerland’s ratification of the treaty as part of a strong political commitment to eliminate nuclear weapons. In December, Parliament adopted a motion calling on the Federal Council to sign the text as soon as possible.
In response, the Federal Council said on Wednesday that it “took Parliament’s will seriously” and wanted to “carefully examine the various options”. The executive body indicated that it will provide another assessment of the situation in 2020.
Switzerland was one of 122 states to adopt the UN treaty in July 2017. Some 70 countriesExternal link have signed the treaty and 22 have ratified it, which is below the 50 needed for the treaty to enter into force.
Swiss football boss wants crackdown on individual hooligans
This content was published on
The head of the Swiss Football League says he prefers a harsher approach to individual hooligans rather than collective punishment measures affecting all fans.
Amherd: Council of Europe is ‘as urgently needed as ever’
This content was published on
The Swiss government emphasised on Sunday the vital role of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, 75 years after it was founded.
Swiss minister: Italy will back Switzerland in EU talks
This content was published on
Bern can count on the backing of Italy as it re-enters talks with the European Union on future relations, Viola Amherd says.
Student protestors at University of Lausanne continue pro-Palestine sit-in
This content was published on
Since Thursday, a hall on campus has been occupied by students calling for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions and a ceasefire in Gaza.
This content was published on
Swiss public broadcasters RTS and SRF are drastically reducing their communications via the social network X (formerly Twitter).
Israel: president of Swiss universities rejects academic boycott
This content was published on
Luciana Vaccaro, president of Swissuniversities, the umbrella group of Swiss universities, is not in favour of an academic boycott of Israeli universities.
Swiss arms exports still at odds with humanitarian tradition
This content was published on
A Swiss historian explains how the "arms exports versus humanitarian tradition" paradox has been a recurrent theme since the First World War.
Swiss still say no to treaty banning nuclear weapons
This content was published on
A total of 122 states, including Switzerland, adopted the treaty at the UN in July 2017. The TPNW will enter into force when at least 50 countries ratify it. Signatories have obligations not to develop, test, produce, acquire, possess, stockpile, use or threaten to use nuclear weapons. The agreement also prohibits the deployment of nuclear…
This content was published on
Swiss peace brokering and Swiss weapons in the world’s wars are uncomfortable bedfellows. We take a closer look at the issue.
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.