In Bern, the Swiss People’s Party is showing a rare willingness to compromise.
The party has backed a counter-proposal to its own neutrality initiative within parliament’s Foreign Policy Committee. Normally, the SVP holds firm even when facing likely defeat.
Its own initiative would write Switzerland’s “perpetual and armed” neutrality into the Constitution, banning any alliance with NATO and blocking sanctions against warring states - such as those taken against Russia.
The position against placing sanctions on warring countries is opposed by all other parties, and the SVP fear – the people as well.
Some SVP members now fear a defeat at the ballot box could weaken support for neutrality altogether.
A softer proposal could both protect the principle and allow sanctions to remain. Whether this compromise advances is still an open question.
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