The defeat of the “Neutrality” initiative in the Sept. 27 Swiss referendum was mostly due to the mass brainwashing accomplished by the Swiss financial and corporate elite, through its mass media and political agents, and of a “decoupling” from Switzerland’s European partners. In particular, the mainstream narrative warned of a failure of the ongoing third phase of Swiss economic integration with the EU, should the Neutrality initiative succeed.

As the ongoing debate in the Swiss Council of States (Ständerat) shows, the treaty upgrade currently discussed (Bilaterale III), represents a large step toward a complete loss of sovereignty of the Swiss nation, deceitfully presented as a quid pro quo. In reality, it is worse than a colonial takeover, as Ständerat member Beat Rieder, from the Valais Center Party, explained in a memorable speech in the Sept. 28 session.

Rieder pointed to the “dynamic legal alignment” (dynamische Rechtsübernahme) clause of the Treaty, which has already been signed by the Swiss government and must now be approved by the Parliament. De facto, the clause binds Switzerland to adopt whatever future new law, guideline or decision comes from Brussels, without any real power to reject it. Formally, Bern is involved in “co-shaping” the law, and the Swiss government or Parliament can reject it. However, this would require opening a procedure that gives Brussels and the European Court the upper hand in activating the so-called “guillotine clause,” i.e., punishing Switzerland by cancelling the treaty altogether, not only aspects which concern the disputed matter. As an alternative, the EU can adopt “compensatory measures,” such as blocking access to EU markets in the concerned area. Recent cases with Norway and Switzerland show that the Guillotine and the Compensatory Measures work as a “nuclear deterrent,” defusing any attempt to escape EU law.