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Swiss Voters Reject Neutrality Initiative, 70.15% No

By Drooid · Sep 28, 2026, 10:00 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Swiss Voters Reject

Swiss voters rejected the neutrality initiative, with 70.15% voting no.
All 26 cantons voted against the proposal.
The initiative would have barred sanctions without UN approval and limited NATO cooperation.
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said the result preserves neutrality’s flexibility.
Voters also rejected the food-security initiative, with 72.52% voting no.

Summary

Pfister Warns Arms

Analysts estimate a 55% chance Switzerland will act as technical back-office for U.S.–Iran talks.
Defence Minister Martin Pfister warned that restrictive arms-export rules strain trust with Germany and NATO allies.
EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said Swiss participation in the European Sky Shield Initiative complies with neutrality.
Russia dismissed Switzerland as a neutral broker after the vote and will not attend the 2024 Bürgenstock peace summit.

History

Historical Context

May 1815 the Congress of Vienna, with Austria, Russia, Prussia and United Kingdom, formalized Swiss neutrality and limited foreign troops to under 5,000 soldiers. The League of Nations reaffirmed this in 1920, and Switzerland’s adoption of EU sanctions against Russia in February 2022 tested the rule. In September 2026, voters backed by councilor Christoph Blocher and SVP rejected a stricter neutrality amendment by 70%.

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Swiss Voters Reject

Swiss voters rejected the neutrality initiative, with 70.15% voting no.
All 26 cantons voted against the proposal.
The initiative would have barred sanctions without UN approval and limited NATO cooperation.
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said the result preserves neutrality’s flexibility.
Voters also rejected the food-security initiative, with 72.52% voting no.

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