Neutrality: the yes campaign opens ahead of 27 September

The committee behind the «Safeguarding Swiss Neutrality» initiative opened its campaign today ahead of the vote. The text goes before the people on 27 September 2026.

The initiative calls for neutrality to be written into the Federal Constitution. Switzerland would have to give up military or defence alliances, except in the case of a direct attack on the country. The text also asks the Confederation to renounce sanctions against states at war.

This last point touches on a recent decision. After the invasion of Ukraine, Switzerland adopted sanctions against Russia, a course of action the initiative would rule out in future.

The committee brings together the Pro Svizzera organisation and figures from the SVP. Former Federal Councillor Christoph Blocher is among the supporters.

Limited political backing

In party terms the picture is clear. The SVP is the only party that broadly supports the text. Green voters reject it by a wide margin.

The YouGov Switzerland poll published on 31 July 2026 surveyed 1,229 representative eligible voters. Supporters stand at 40%, opponents at 38%, while 22% have yet to decide.

The gap between the two camps therefore remains narrow and the share of undecided voters is large. In campaigns of this kind, positions often shift in the final weeks.

The poll also points to a language divide. Support is stronger in French-speaking Switzerland and in Ticino than in German-speaking regions.

For Italian-speaking Switzerland the finding deserves attention, because it reverses the usual pattern on foreign policy questions. Over the coming weeks the debate will turn on the practical meaning of neutrality and on the consequences of giving up sanctions.