The Federal Assembly took the final step today, 19.12.2025, and drastically relaxed the War Material Act. The arms lobby has thus prevailed. With this decision, Swiss arms deliveries to civil war countries and unjust regimes will become possible. There is also a massive increase in the risk of Swiss weapons ending up with terrorist groups, as was previously the case. At the same time, it will not be possible to help Ukraine of all countries. A broad alliance is definitely launching a referendum.
According to today’s decision by the Federal Assembly, the War Material Act will be relaxed to the effect that exports of war material from Switzerland to anywhere in the world will become the rule. Objective criteria will no longer apply and the Federal Council will have the sole authority to prevent exports in cases of doubt. This means that arms exports will be possible even if the countries concerned are involved in a civil war, if human rights are systematically violated and if there is a high risk that the weapons will be used against the civilian population. The 25 so-called Annex 2 states receive an even greater free pass. In future, war material can also be supplied to these states if they are involved in an international armed conflict. And as if that were not enough, the non-re-export declarations will also be almost completely abolished. This opens the door to Swiss war material ending up in war zones via third countries. Ukraine, of all countries, which was at the beginning of the relaxation history, is not helped by the change in the law, as deliveries are prevented by a neutrality clause.
A broad alliance is opposing this fatal relaxation and will officially launch the referendum on January 7.
“Switzerland must not export weapons to countries that systematically violate human rights. Otherwise it will be complicit as an accomplice of unjust states.“
Nino Russano, Board member of terre des hommes schweiz
terre des hommes schweiz is part of the alliance together with: GSoA – SP – GRÜNE – EVP – JUSO – Junge Grüne – JEVP – PdA – Frieda – medico international – SFR – Campax – DJS – Frauen für den Frieden – grundrechte.ch – humanrights.ch – Justitia et Pax – fra-z
Further information: https://kriegsmaterial-referendum.ch/
