Music hits 10:00am - Noon

Listen Live

Search

Parliament accepts arms sales restrictions

Thursday, 16 September 2021 04:34

Pixabay

Parliament has agreed to the broad intention of an initiative to ban arms sales to countries involved in conflict or those that violate human rights.

The alliance of left-wing parties and campaign groups say they’re pleased at the result and so are withdrawing the initiative which means it will not go a popular vote. 

The government was pushing to allow itself more flexibility in agreeing to arms exports – but parliament has rejected that. 
It fears the new rules may lead to arms makers leave Switzerland. 

The initiative to ban arms sales collected more than 134,000 signatures in only 6 months, suggesting large public support for the move.
 

Share

More from Bitesize News

  • Geneva could foot the G7 bill

    Geneva fears it will be left with the security bill from a G7 summit just across the border in Évian, according to 24 heures.

  • US NGO discovers Swiss child abuse cases

    Switzerland relies too heavily on an American NGO to detect child sexual abuse online, raising questions about the country's ability to protect children on its own.

  • French singer banned by Paleo

    The Paléo Festival in Nyon says it will no longer invite French singer Patrick Bruel, after a former volunteer accused him of inappropriate behaviour.

  • Cars going uninspected

    The cantons are struggling to keep up with mandatory vehicle inspections, leaving more than 550,000 checks overdue nationwide.

  • War may lead to rent rises

    Rents may rise again, says the bank Raiffeisen.

  • Not a heatwave, yet

    Summer has arrived, with temperatures climbing past 30 over the long weekend. Basel reached 31 and Sion hit 32.4, but MeteoSwiss, says this does not yet count as an official heatwave.

Follow WRS

Download our app

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play