Activists trigger referendum that could end Swiss sanctions on Russia
https://www.ft.com/content/b097b2a9-bbe3-4a51-bbea-74a61aca19e9
by RobotWantsKitty
Activists trigger referendum that could end Swiss sanctions on Russia
https://www.ft.com/content/b097b2a9-bbe3-4a51-bbea-74a61aca19e9
by RobotWantsKitty
28 comments
> Activists in Switzerland have triggered a referendum on proposals that would end the country’s harsh economic sanctions on Russia and rule out any punitive restrictions on trade with China.
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> A delegation for the “Neutrality Initiative” handed in a petition of 130,000 signatures to government officials in Bern on Thursday, making a national vote on a constitutional amendment proposed by the campaign group almost certain to go ahead in the next few months.
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> Backed by the rightwing populist Swiss People’s party (SVP), Switzerland’s largest political movement, the campaign proposes four new clauses that would more precisely define what the Alpine country’s long-held neutrality means in practice.
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> The changes would prohibit Switzerland from entering into any military alliance unless it was itself attacked. They would also explicitly prevent the government from imposing or joining any form of coercive sanctions regime — as it has done against Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine — unless it was granted a mandate to do so by the UN Security Council.
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> As China and Russia have the power of veto over any vote by the Security Council, such a condition would guarantee the status of Switzerland, Europe’s seventh largest economy and the world’s largest centre of offshore wealth, as a permanent safe haven for Moscow and Beijing’s financial and trade interests.
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> “If all states behaved like Switzerland, there would be no war,” the SVP said in a statement welcoming news of the referendum’s acceptance, adding that sanctions against Russia “are endangering the internal peace and stability of our country . . . a unique success story in the middle of Europe”.
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> The party also denounced “targeted attempts to undermine [Swiss] neutrality”.
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> The proposals come as Brussels is racing to assess the impact of another hole that has opened in its economic front against Moscow. On Wednesday a top European court removed Russian oligarchs Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven from the EU’s sanctions list, raising the prospect of legal action by other Russian citizens.
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> Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago, Bern has moved in lockstep with the EU in placing sweeping restrictions on Russian individuals and companies connected to President Vladimir Putin’s regime, freezing their assets in Swiss vaults and stopping the country’s banks from doing business with them.
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> The unprecedented measures have raised questions about what Switzerland would do in the event of a further souring of relations between China and the west. Wealthy Chinese have been among the most important sources of money for Switzerland’s powerful financial sector in recent years.
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> The sanctions, and a row over whether Switzerland should help support Ukraine directly, have prompted an increasingly fierce national debate, pitting conservative traditionalists, social democrat pacifists and free-market financiers against a largely younger generation of pro-Europeans and social liberals.
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> Appearing to present the signatures at the federal chancellery in Bern, Christoph Blocher, the SVP’s billionaire “godfather” and its main financial backer, was accompanied by four bodyguards in anticipation of protests.
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> Polling indicates that the debate over neutrality is not a high concern for most Swiss — but its relevance has been growing, particularly as the issue becomes caught up in other politically-charged topics considered to be fundamental to Switzerland’s strong sense of national identity and independence, such as relations with the EU and immigration.
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> Green MP Christine Badertscher told reporters that “the ‘neutrality’ initiative benefits dictators and war criminals and harms Switzerland’s security”.
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> According to the Swiss constitution, Switzerland’s parliament may first propose a compromise option, which the initiative’s organisers can choose to accept instead of a popular vote.
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> But that is considered unlikely to happen, analysts said, given the strong demands presented in the referendum campaign’s proposals.
> “If all states behaved like Switzerland, there would be no war,” the SVP said in a statement welcoming news of the referendum’s acceptance, adding that sanctions against Russia “are endangering the internal peace and stability of our country . . . a unique success story in the middle of Europe”.
If all democratic states behaved like Switzerland, there would be no more democratic states.
If there were no more wars, Switzerland would go broke.
*Profiteers.*
The answer is simple, Switzerland may vote and live with its conscience but the rest of the world may do the same and sanction the hell out of it.
Neutrality is convenient when everyone allows you to claim it.
What is the point of that? Is Switzerland suffering much? Is it not one of the wealthiest nations out there? They can easily afford sanctions and then some and yet they want to stay selfish. They think they’ll survive up there in their mountains if the world war breaks out and the angry and hungry mob with nothing but rifles will come for their treasures.
[removed]
“What makes a man go neutral? Is it lust for (nazi) gold, power? Or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality?”
OK, then sanction Switzerland.
That’s a democracy. If they chose not to sanction, that’s up for Swiss people to live with it. Such an interesting system.
It doesn’t look like those sanctions achieved much anyway so can’t really blame them tbh
I did not even realize Swiss imposed any sanctions on Russia. I thought there was too many Rubles in the bank for that.
Europe should ban Swiss bank system. Swiss banks are nothing more but corruption triggers. I’m sick and tired of all the European hypocrisy especially when it comes to corruption. Swiss is a mafia state and it has always been.
I don’t understand a country that doesn’t stand up against fascism and mass murder.
What kinda fuckin’ activists are these?!?!
It is all about the money.
The war in Ukraine made me realize a couple of things about myself.
I am no pacifist. War sometimes is the only legitimate answer.
I do not believe in freedom of speech. Some opinions are dangerous and straight up wrong. Fascism, nationalism are all cancerous ideas.
Realpolitik is a made up term used by cynics to justify their godawful views.
You can’t run your car or heat your home on platitudes.
Peak reddit comments. I had higher hopes for r/europe somehow.
In Switzerland they have referendums. Which basically means “hey the government made a decision and nobody got to say anything about it, the people should vote and show where they stand”.
Now probably, as with most recent political changes, Russia is behind this, and funded the far right party.
And as with most of their absurd ideas, it won’t pass.
Y’all can cry if it does somehow pass.
In the meantime, in a democracy, people are allowed to have opinions, and discuss them. Even if most of everyone agrees on one thing, there might be some good reasons for other opinions which need to be heard.
On a side note, does anyone else find it ironic that Russia is funding the right wing parties all over Europe?
It used to be just the opposite.
Money laundering machine wants to choke on money. Bad sign.
Hey Switzerland how much stuff do you have which Austrian painter ***acquired***?
I have a better idea for a referendum:
“Should we respect Swiss restrictions on re-exporting arms to Ukraine?”
Available answers:
“No.”
“Hell no!”
They need to remember they are a land locked country.
Dude, with those assholes in UN and now this dude – a white pigeon slowly but surely becoming a hate symbol.
I bet you $100 they would wave the biggest white pigeon twitter ever saw on the day Russians use nukes.
There are Swiss sanctions against Russia?
Like buying only half their Gold?
Switzerland are cowards and war profiteers. No change there.
Switzerland playing both sides, all the while living in the protected sphere created by the sea of the EU and NATO around them.
What a truly great and noble country..
Good on them. These sanctions are destroying the economy all over Europe.
Another stupid SVP issue that I look forward to voting against