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When parliament next week debates the re-export of Swiss-made arms, one term will come up again and again: neutrality. As a result, Switzerland has had “two hundred good years”, Solothurn SVP National Councilor Walter Wobmann (65) told the media last Tuesday. The chairman of the initiative committee of the neutrality initiative criticized the “jugglery” of the parliament, which should allow indirect arms aid to Ukraine. “We’re totally embarrassed about it.”
Neutrality no longer so important
But do the Swiss see it that way? A study by the Berne research institute GFS comes to a different conclusion. When asked what is important for maintaining security in Switzerland, most respondents answered: good relations with our neighboring countries. The protection of the environment and landscape comes second and aid to combat poverty and hunger in the world comes third. The element of “strict neutrality” appears much later in the list. Four out of ten respondents consider these ‘not important at all’ or ‘rather unimportant’.
The research was carried out last autumn on behalf of Alliance Sud, the competence center for international cooperation and development policy. The previously unpublished results are now available to SonntagsBlick. Surprisingly, fighting hunger and poverty to promote security in Switzerland is very important to voters from left to right. This is expected to be 95 percent for the Greens, and no less than 82 percent for the SVP.
Andreas Missbach (56), Managing Director of Alliance Sud, says: “Fighting poverty and hunger in the world and working on international law have a much higher priority for the Swiss than, for example, the army or neutrality.” That makes perfect sense, says Missbach: if poverty in crisis-ravaged countries falls, jobs are created and hunger is fought, people no longer have a reason to flee. “This reduces migratory pressure on Switzerland.”
Switzerland is cutting money for the poor
Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter (59) announced austerity measures in mid-February. The FDP Federal Council also wants to cut costs in the field of international cooperation. Exactly where it becomes safety-relevant for Swiss people. If Keller-Sutter continues with its cuts, aid projects such as the UN’s World Food Program may receive less money from Switzerland in the future. Without this program, millions of people would starve, says Alliance-Sud manager Missbach. “If Keller-Sutter saves on fighting the crisis abroad, Switzerland will cut itself in the flesh.” Nobody flees voluntarily, so you have to make sure that people can live where they want to live.
The FDFA, which would be affected by the austerity measures in international cooperation, does not want to speculate on possible consequences. “Cut cuts generally mean that projects and programs have to be adjusted or even stopped,” says spokesperson Andreas Heller. “The Deza should then concentrate more on his obligations.”
Source:Blick
I am Liam Livingstone and I work in a news website. My main job is to write articles for the 24 Instant News. My specialty is covering politics and current affairs, which I’m passionate about. I have worked in this field for more than 5 years now and it’s been an amazing journey. With each passing day, my knowledge increases as well as my experience of the world we live in today.
