The SVP doyen wants to prevent Switzerland from imposing economic sanctions like those against Russia in the future. Now he is planning a corresponding initiative.
“The Federal Constitution needs an article for integral neutrality,” says Christoph Blocher.
On Monday, former Federal Councilor Christoph Blocher sharply criticized the Federal Council’s assumption of EU sanctions in the NZZ. Anyone who participates in economic sanctions is a party to the war, he explained. In doing so, Switzerland had carelessly missed the opportunity to contribute to a peace solution as a neutral country.
Blocher now wants to follow up his words with action. The SVP doyen wants to launch a popular initiative to preserve Swiss neutrality. The aim is that in future Switzerland will no longer be able to impose economic sanctions such as those against Russia. “There needs to be an article in the Federal Constitution for integral neutrality,” said Blocher on Friday in the “Teleblocher” talk show. “We have to take care of that now,” he said.
No chance in Parliament
Blocher considers the launch of a popular initiative to be the only viable option, because his concerns cannot be implemented through parliamentary means. “With the exception of the SVP, the whole horde in parliament is of the opinion that integral neutrality should be dropped,” said the SVP politician.
After the Russian troops invaded Ukraine, the Federal Council first declared that it would not accept the EU’s sanctions against Russia. One wants to concentrate on the fact that these cannot be taken over via Switzerland. The aim is to keep the doors open for diplomatic mediation.
A few days later, the state government made a spectacular U-turn and decided to join the EU’s sanctions against Russia after all. Playing into the hands of an aggressor is not neutral, declared Federal President Ignazio Cassis after the extraordinary session of the Federal Council. Switzerland is committed to humanitarian principles and must not stand by and see them trampled underfoot.
According to Blocher, the state government made a fatal mistake with this change of course. There is no other country in the West that could have offered its good offices like Switzerland. Of course, the warring parties would try to harass the neutral and win him over to their side. Under this pressure, the Federal Council caved in – and thus deprived itself of the opportunity to act as a peacemaker, bringing the warring parties to the table.
Blocher sees his position confirmed by the fact that on Monday Russia put Switzerland on a list of unfriendly states along with 47 other countries and regions. According to this counter-sanction, Russian citizens, companies and the state itself may only pay obligations in other currencies in rubles. In addition, the states would have to set up a clearing account with a Russian bank, the Russian side said.
SVP stands alone
All parties, with the exception of the SVP, are behind the Federal Council’s course of supporting the EU’s sanctions. This is not least because of the fear that if Switzerland were to stand aside abroad, it would give the impression that neutrality was just a pretext and that it was actually concerned with economic interests.
The SVP was the only party to have sharply criticized Switzerland’s sanctions against Russia and described them as giving up Swiss neutrality. The party also rejects Switzerland’s candidacy for a seat on the UN Security Council in 2023-2024.