Swiss Parliament Will Back UN Membership

by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels

19 September 2001

Despite the resistance of the right-wing politicians who fear for Switzerland's neutrality, the Swiss Parliament appears set to approve the country's membership of the United Nations after a debate earlier this week.

The Swiss media has reported that three out of the four main political parties during the debate at the House of Representatives claimed they would support a decision to join the UN. But the Swiss People's Party raised fierce opposition to UN membership arguing that Switzerland's national sovereignty and coveted neutrality would be under threat by the power of the organisation which could force Switzerland into international conflict.

The Radical Party, the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats all stated that they considered Swiss foreign policy to be on a par with the views of the UN including their stance on enhanced international co-operation particularly against global terrorism in light of last week's attacks on America.

According to the SwissInfo news agency, the three parties also argued that neutrality could not continue to be the central plank on which Switzerland bases its foreign policies, and that it was about time that it stopped being an excuse for an 'isolationist and selfish attitude towards the world.'

However, the decision on whether or not to join the UN is not final - the general public will have the final say in a referendum next year. The last time such a referendum took place to decide on Switzerland's accession to the UN voters rejected the proposal by three to one in 1986.
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