In a small pub in Geneva, four men are drinking beer after work. One of them, Benny, raises a topical issue: “It is very important that we have strict neutrality - not like now, when Switzerland took a position on Russia”.
With this, Benny touches on a delicate issue: the Swiss constitution requires neutrality. Nevertheless, although after some hesitation, Switzerland has joined the economic sanctions of the Western world against Russia, which has invaded Ukraine. According to Benny, this is not a good decision, ARD notes in its report.
Heidi, who lives next door, is also skeptical: "The principle of neutrality in Switzerland is a good thing. In the future, we should strictly adhere to it."
Initiative for stricter neutrality
A man who is already a "political pensioner" in Switzerland - 85-year-old Christoph Blocher, who decades ago was an icon of the right-wing conservative Swiss People's Party (SVP) and was also a member of the Swiss federal government for a certain period - is also pushing for something similar. Now he is once again a fervent defender of the so-called "neutrality initiative", which was proposed by some circles in his party.
According to Blocher, the return to neutrality in 1938 prevented Switzerland from being drawn into World War II; and it was a neutrality that went far beyond the principle of non-intervention in military conflicts. "Experts talk about "integral neutrality", that is, absolute. This also means that we will be neutral with regard to non-military coercive measures", Blocher explained to the German media.
No participation in sanctions against other countries
In a video, Blocher explains exactly what he means by non-military coercive measures. In this concept, the 85-year-old activist includes, in addition to non-interference in military conflicts, also a refusal to participate in economic or diplomatic sanctions. Because "whoever does this is already a party to the conflict", the Swiss claims. This means that if the proposal is accepted, the country would not have to participate in economic or diplomatic sanctions in the future, unless there is a corresponding UN resolution.
This is written in the draft of the popular initiative "Defense of Swiss Neutrality". And this is precisely the most delicate moment: at the beginning of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine - after a short and contentious debate - Switzerland also joined the Western sanctions against the Russian Federation. "That was a mistake", claims Blocher.
"That is not a mistake", says Ignazio Cassis, the Swiss Foreign Minister from the liberal Free Democratic Party. It is hard to imagine what would happen if Blocher's vision of "integral neutrality" were to become law. "Sanctions could no longer be imposed on belligerent states," says Cassis. "For example, today's sanctions against Russia would no longer be possible because they have not been adopted by the UN."
Isolation of Switzerland?
Cassis fears that Switzerland would then be isolated from the Western international community. Most politicians from all other parties represented in the Bern parliament - with the exception of Blocher's Swiss People's Party (SVP) - share his views.
Whether his initiative for complete neutrality will be accepted by the Swiss will be decided in a referendum scheduled for September 27.
Author: Thomas Wagner ARD