Opponents of the “Neutrality” referendum won 2 to 1 in the Swiss referendum on Sep. 27. A proposition promoted by the “Pro Schweiz” association on whether to include a passage in the Swiss Constitution that would strengthen the traditional neutrality policy was rejected.

A key influence on the result was played by the Swiss financial and corporate elite, which dominates the Economiesuisse business association (Swiss Bankers Association, Swiss Insurance Association, Glencore, Nestlé, Accenture, etc.). Whereas the Pro Schweiz campaign argued that, although still formally neutral, Switzerland has been pulled into the war against Russia through the adoption of the EU sanctions, the Economiesuisse elite have sophistically turned the argument around. They managed to scare the population with the argument that a “Yes” to a stricter neutrality would worsen Swiss relations with its European partner and spoil the ongoing negotiations called “Bilateralen III,” which aim at a greater integration of the Swiss and EU economies. This argument was pushed by the Financial Times, i.e., the City of London, and the European Parliament as well. The Foreign Policy Committee of the European Parliament recommended the adoption of Bilateralen III and at the same time said to be “concerned.”

As Helga Zepp-LaRouche said in an interview with CGTN radio on Sep. 28, despite losing the referendum, Pro Schweiz had succeeded in making war and peace an issue of national debate.