Donald Trump's shock pushes neutral Swiss to seek narrower defense ties

Barely two months ago, the new Swiss Defense Minister was considered a foreigner with little chance of obtaining a position of federal government.

But Martin Pfister, colonel of the army and cantonal minister who pleads for more defense cooperation with the neighbors of NATO and the EU, should take office next month after having beat a more conservative rival this week.

Cooperation and joint training exercises with NATO, of which Switzerland is not a member, was absolutely necessary, said Pfister last month, adding that even if it did not push its country to become a member, the Defense Alliance remained essential to the security of Europes.

His appointment underlines how neutral Switzerland feels the urgency of strengthening his defense, while US President Donald Trump threatens to relax the American guarantees that have long supported continents and the security of alpine nations.

During a press conference after the vote Thursday, Pfister said that NATO was changing, we don't know in which direction. Interoperability and cooperation with European countries were crucial if security is important to us, he added.

Martin Pfister will take office as Minister of Defense on April 1 Denis Balibouse / Reuters

Any change in neutrality in Switzerland would require a referendum and constitutional changes a process that could take years.

But the discussions have started to take place on several levels of government which could lead to a spectacular change in a country whose very identity is deeply linked to neutrality, according to experts.

I have never seen a scenario that describes the situation in which we are, said Jean-Marc Rickli, responsible for global and emerging risks in Geneva for the security policy.

In transatlantic relations, there have been ups and downs, but the United States showing a possible disengagement from Europe as well as on the side of Russia … sent shock waves across Europe, including Switzerland.

A similar point of view is run by Matthias Zoller, secretary general of the aeronautical, security and defense division of Swissmem, an industry body and a group of lobbies.

There is a feeling of urgency that was not there, said Zoller. Finally, the two parts of the Parliament as well as the government see that there is something to do and change.

Public feeling has moved to greater security cooperation with European neighbors, according to a study published last summer by the Military Academy of Eth Zurich and the Center for Security Studies.

The study revealed that 53% of respondents were favorable to closer links with NATO, while the average at 10 years on this issue has oscillated approximately 43%. Only 30% wanted to join the alliance, but it was always higher than the average at 10 years of 23%.

Zoller, who attended an audience with Pfister before his appointment, said that the new Minister of Defense understood that whatever we do, we must collaborate with our neighbors.

One of the first tasks of the first tasks after taking office on April 1 will be to help write the country's first national security strategy, which could emerge by summer.

Discussions on the security strategy will take place with an increasingly emergency feeling that is a good thing, said Daniel McKli, who heads the CSS reflection group at Eth Zurich, who is partly funded by the Ministry of Defense.

The official security strategy will be the first of its kind and will define our objectives. This should give an idea of ​​where the government wants to take the country.

Changes in export regulations are also being studied. Bern prohibits arms exports if the country of destination is involved in wars, in the country or abroad, including Ukraine.

The rules were a source of dissatisfaction in Europe, in particular for countries like Germany, which was not authorized to re -export Swiss manufacturing weapons in Ukraine.

This could change under Pfister.

Martin Pfister confirmed that he would fight against the restriction of exports of Swiss material and systems of war systems, said Stefan Holenstein, a colonel of the General Staff of the Swiss Army who chairs the Association of Swiss Military Societies.

Earlier this month, Holenstein invited Pfister and his rival candidate, Markus Ritter, head of the Hall of Swiss farmers, to an audience with military representatives and defense in Bern.

Although Switzerland represents perpetual armed neutrality, Holenstein has declared, for us and also for Martin, this does not mean, and he pointed out, this does not mean strict isolation or strict non-cooperation to European security architecture.

The substantial increase in the army budget and the construction of the Swiss weapons industry were other expectations from the military industry, said Holenstein.

Switzerland aims to reach 1% of its GDP spent in defense by 2030 against 0.7% last year. It is much lower than that of other objectives of European countries: the target of expenses of 2% of the natos should be increased to 3% or 3.5% at a summit in June, while Trump insisted that European allies should pay 5% of GDP.

An expansion of the interoperability of the armed forces must also be possible, said Holenstein, pointing Swiss soldiers next month heading to Austria – also a neutral country – to train with Austrian and German troops. It will be the first military exercises in Switzerland on foreign soil since 2003.

But for the whole apparent momentum in Switzerland accelerated by the European rearmament effort, others have warned that any change in strategy could take years.

There are also strong forces that would like to see reinforced neutrality. After the large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Switzerland adopted sanctions similar to the EU, the United Kingdom and the United States. But activists and certain right -wing politicians have since tried to force the end of economic restrictions by more precisely defining the country's long -standing neutrality in the Constitution.

A Swiss official said: you have enormous differences even between those of the Federal Council, not to mention the Parliament and the public, on the Future Swiss leadership. And it is always a question of finding a consensus here and we are far from that.

I would not remember my breath for big changes this year or even next year.

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