Swiss voters reject strict neutrality initiative to preserve NATO cooperation and sanctions

Switzerland held a high-stakes nationwide referendum on the right-wing "Neutrality Initiative," which proposed anchoring a rigid definition of permanent armed neutrality directly into the Swiss Constitution.

The initiative, backed primarily by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP), sought to prevent Switzerland from joining or cooperating with military or defence alliances unless the country was attacked, and prohibit participation in economic sanctions against belligerent states unless mandated by the United Nations.

The SVP has argued that Switzerland's traditional neutrality has been eroded after Bern imposed sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

The campaign funded posters across the country urging people to vote "No war, yes to neutrality", featuring white peace doves ahead of the vote.

Proponents said neutrality has served Switzerland well, keeping it out of both world wars and allowing Bern to offer its "good offices" to help negotiate peace between warring parties.

"Switzerland has not had a war for 200 years because it is permanently armed and neutral," said Christoph Blocher, the billionaire businessman and backer of the SVP.

"But neutrality has been followed less and less in recent years," he told Reuters, with Russia now seeing Switzerland as a party to the conflict because of the sanctions.

However, opinion polls suggested voters would reject the proposal, with one of the latest surveys showing 68% against and 31% in favour.

Fabio Wasserfallen, a professor of European Politics at the University of Bern, said: "Swiss voters like neutrality, but they approve of how the government is implementing it at present."