Essentially, the left-wing and green supporters of the initiative want to steer the course of the Swiss ship of state away from the NATO iceberg. In April 2022, we had to watch as the governments and parliaments in Sweden and Finland abolished their neutrality without a referendum.

Influential forces in Switzerland are also pursuing a rapprochement with NATO that will ultimately lead to the elimination of neutrality. Since 2022, the Federal Council has published four reports: strategy papers that conceive Swiss security policy only in the context of collective defence with NATO and the EU. Rapprochement and "interoperability" with NATO are consistently presented as desirable and necessary. It is understandable that some on the left and the Greens are also impressed by so much love for NATO. However, it is difficult to understand why even those who were once committed to pacifism are joining in.

We are among those forces that see NATO's so-called "Out of Area" missions as a threat to peace. The  The urge of the transatlanticists to use the alliance offensively beyond the borders of its member states is unmistakable. NATO already bombed Serbia in 1999, fought in Afghanistan and is playing a decisive role in the war in Ukraine. You may or may not consider these operations to be legitimate. that they take place across the national borders of the members is undeniable. We do not want to be part of this maelstrom. The initiative allows us to change course: it puts a stop to the creeping accession to NATO. 

At the same time, we see Switzerland's neutrality as a service both to our internal peace and to peace in Europe and the world: our country stands - beyond the International Red Cross - for conflict prevention and conflict mediation  available. In this way, it is doing peace work.

Switzerland has unique experience with the policy of neutrality. It is recognised as a peaceful country and a credible mediator in international conflicts. This could set a precedent: Dozens of countries in the Global South are reorienting themselves to avoid being caught between Russia and NATO or between the USA and China. This is where Switzerland can contribute its knowledge of pragmatic politics between geopolitical heavyweights and mediate. Consistent, cosmopolitan and credible neutrality is the best contribution to a Switzerland that is internationally and universally respected.

We do not reject self-defence - the initiative speaks specifically of armed neutrality. But we do reject the collective variant, because almost every war since 1945 has been justified with "collective self-defence". Even Vladimir Putin claims that he is only defending Russia and the Donbass in Ukraine. The USA argued in exactly the same way in 2003 that its attack on Iraq was legitimate: it was only in self-defence against the notorious "weapons of mass destruction" that never existed.

We do not participate in such stupidities! Switzerland has its specific strengths. It can best utilise these if it keeps out of the conflicts of other states as far as possible, both militarily and economically, and instead tries to mediate between the fronts - in the spirit of all those committed to peace in the world.