Swiss voters set to reject tighter neutrality rules in referendum

About 71 percent of voters oppose initiative to impose stricter limits on neutrality, projection suggests.Published On 27 Sep 202627 Sep 2026Swiss voters appear to have overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to impose stricter constitutional limits on the country’s longstanding neutrality.About 71 percent voted against the initiative in a referendum on Sunday, according to a projection by the polling institute GFS Bern for the Swiss public broadcaster SRG.Recommended Stories list of 2 itemslist 1 of 2Iran shifts trade north to Caspian Sea as war impairs Strait of Hormuzlist 2 of 2Switzerland’s neutrality vote is asking the wrong questionend of listThe result would preserve the government’s ability to impose sanctions and cooperate with NATO, the transatlantic military alliance whose members include most of Switzerland’s larger neighbours, rather than lock those choices into a narrower constitutional definition of neutrality.The initiative sought to define Swiss neutrality as “perpetual and armed”.It would have barred Switzerland from joining or cooperating with military and defence alliances unless the country was under attack or an attack was imminent while allowing sanctions against ...