Europe is embarking on a massive rearmament campaign, spending billions of euros on new weapons – but Swiss arm makers look likely to lose out.
The German ambassador to Switzerland, Michael Flügger, says the laws on re-exporting Swiss weapons are too restrictive.
Berlin wants to be free to support allies if necessary and the laws also ban re-supply if Germany is involved in a conflict.
The Federal Council has suggested a loosening of the regulations – but Germany considers those changes to be insufficient.
In the meantime, the Socialist Party has long campaigned with the group ‘Switzerland Without an Army’, but many party members say links with the group should be cut, considering the current situation.
One leading party member, Daniel Jositsch, says ‘no one can seriously demand the abolition of the army’ in an interview with the SonntagsZeitung.
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