Residents of Switzerland voted against the consolidation of the principle of neutrality // In Switzerland published the preliminary results of the referendum on neutrality

According to preliminary data, 68.9% of participants in the referendum on neutrality in Switzerland voted against enshrining in the Constitution of the country a stricter definition. Turnout was 46.73%. This is reported by the press service of the government. The official results of the vote are expected tonight.

The vote took place today. According to exit polls of the Swiss research institute gfs.bern, 71% of participants voted against the initiative, AFP reported.

The referendum was initiated by the right-wing Swiss People's Party. Its representatives argued that the traditional neutrality of the country was undermined after Switzerland joined the sanctions against Russia in 2022.

The authors of the initiative proposed to add a separate article on neutrality to the constitution. The country remains neutral, but must be ready to defend itself. At the same time, two more paragraphs established the rejection of any “non-military measures against belligerent states” (i.e. sanctions), unless these are UN measures. In addition, it was supposed to completely abandon cooperation with defense alliances, unless the country is attacked.

After 2022, Switzerland joined most of the EU’s anti-Russian sanctions and imposed restrictive measures against some 2,790 Russian individuals and entities. Financial assets worth 8.5 billion Swiss francs ($10.4 billion) have been frozen in the country, and 14 properties have been seized.

In the article “Neutrality is no longer the same.”.