On Sunday September 27th, Swiss citizens will cast their votes on two topics: preserving neutrality and ensuring healthy food supply. What is at stake in both?
Let’s start with neutrality
This vote will bring a closure to a long-running debate on whether Switzerland should remain neutral – despite the mounting geopolitical tensions.
Its instigators, ProSchweiz group – an offshoot of the populist Swiss People’s Party – want to enshrine Swiss neutrality in the Constitution as “perpetual and armed.”
“It cannot be modified easily and at will on the basis of current events,” Pro Schweiz states.
The group is also opposed to closer ties with NATO and wants the Constitution to expressly prohibit joining this (or any other) military alliances, except in the event of a direct attack against the country.
Additionally, the organisation seeks to restrict Swiss government’s right to impose sanctions on rogue nations.
Who is for and against this idea?
Predictably, the SVP is fully on board, with its commitment “to preserving an independent and neutral Switzerland.”
For its part, the Federal Council retorted that it is against adopting a tighter definition of Switzerland’s neutrality, insisting that it would seriously limit the country’s defence options.
“Enshrining a rigid understanding of neutrality in the federal constitution is not in Switzerland’s interests and would restrict its room for manoeuvre in foreign policy terms,” the government said.
“This would mean that sanctions could no longer be imposed on belligerent states and cooperation with military or defence alliances would be severely curtailed,” it added.
All other political parties are against the idea as well.
READ MORE: Why is Switzerland always neutral?
Agriculture and food supply
Also on the ballot is the “Food Initiative,” instigated by a small group of individuals led by an environmental activist Franziska Herren.
The initiative states that the Swiss population must have access at all times to sufficient quantities of high-quality and affordable food.
Therefore, the government must create the conditions necessary to achieve this goal. Currently, however, Swiss agriculture meets just under half of the country’s food needs, the instigators say; the remainder is imported.
The country’s agriculture must also meet a range of requirements set by the group, which include protecting the environment, biodiversity, and drinking water.
Who is supporting this move?
Among the group’s very few supporters are the left-wing Young Greens.
The Federal Council and the Parliament, on the other hand, believe that the initiative is too extreme – and all political parties agree.
They point out that the objectives laid out by the group could only be achieved – and with great difficulty at that – within 10 years.
Also, the state would have to intervene massively in production and food habits of the population, which would entail high costs and restrict consumer choices.
READ MORE: Just how healthy is the food in Switzerland
Latest polls predict that both initiatives will be soundly rejected.
