Switzerland

Must and can Switzerland defend itself alone?

by Ralph Bosshard*

(21 August 2026) It is in keeping with the tradition of security policy debate in Switzerland that members of the Federal Parliament deal with issues of national defence almost exclusively when decisions on armaments programmes are to be made. What is new, however, is that heads of departments outside this field now feel they must also intervene in the debate on weapons systems.1 One would hope that the focus would be on questions regarding the actual military threat, possible scenarios and courses of action for the Swiss Confederation as a whole.

Left-wing committee campaigns for the neutrality initiative

“Switzerland should once again become a credible voice for peace”

by Daniel Funk*

(14 August 2026) Left-wing organisations are campaigning for the neutrality initiative through a new pacifist and internationalist support committee. The focus is on peace, non-alignment and an independent Swiss foreign policy.

Giving up neutrality means giving up Switzerland

Is that what the Federal Council wants?

by Philipp Gut*

(14 August 2026) Neutrality is a core value of Switzerland. And what are the political elites doing? They are wilfully destroying it. The Federal Council has fallen prey to a preposterous line of reasoning and now believes that the security of the country and its people can only be guaranteed by joining forces with NATO and the EU – an epoch-making fallacy.

On the Switzerland–Israel military alliance

by Jacques Pilet,* Montreux VD

(14 August 2026) Urs Loher, Head of Defence, travelled to Israel on 13 and 14 July to further strengthen relations between the defence industries of both countries. In Europe, only Germany and Romania maintain similarly close cooperation with the Jewish state. Swiss neutrality is being deliberately violated. Quietly and discreetly. Even the SVP, which is so fond of invoking it, is keeping silent on the matter.

The “Swiss Ideal of democracy” deserves great respect

Modern, not outdated

by Dr Sabine Vuilleumier-Koch*

(4 August 2026) During the parliamentary recess, the Parliament Building in Bern opens its doors to the public. Those interested are invited to visit the historic and magnificent rooms where Swiss politicians work and make decisions that generally have far-reaching consequences for the country and its people. It is certainly not the building itself that is to blame when the “Swiss ideal” is increasingly called into question by these politicians – for example, regarding neutrality and the commitment to peace of past generations.

What kind of neutrality for Switzerland?

2026 Summer Conference of “Swiss Standpoint”

by the editorial team

(7 August 2026) At the 2026 summer conference of “Swiss Standpoint”, entitled “What Kind of Neutrality for Switzerland?”, six experts took part in four panel discussions in Frauenfeld from 24 to 26 July, sharing their views and insights on Swiss neutrality and the upcoming referendum on 27 September 2026 with an engaged audience.