The recent relaxation of the War Material Act allows arms exports to conflict regions and autocratic states. We must prevent this wrong course being set in times of escalating violence worldwide. That is why terre des hommes schweiz supports the referendum against the amendments to the War Material Act.
In the 2025 winter session, the Swiss parliament decided to relax the War Material Act (KMG). As a result, the export regulations for Swiss weapons will once again be significantly weakened.
Only a few years ago, the War Material Act finally defined clear and transparent criteria for war material exports in order to make it more difficult to supply weapons to countries at war. This was one of the core concerns of the 2018 corrective initiative, which terre des hommes schweiz supported together with a broad civil society alliance. With the amendments to the law that have now been adopted, the Federal Council will in future be able to override the previous criteria for war material exports; this will enable deliveries to unjust regimes and civil war countries. The new version of the KMG deprives Parliament of democratic control over the approval of arms exports. This undermines the central achievement of recent years for greater arms export control.
Blank check for anti-democratic regimes
In addition, the legislative amendments provide for a list of 25 countries for which arms exports are generally approved. This includes Argentina, Hungary and the USA, for example. A report in the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper in January shows just how problematic this is in the case of the USA: ICE officers used Swiss tear gas grenade launchers against demonstrators at protests in Minneapolis.
What is particularly devastating about the amendment is that it abolishes a key control instrument for arms exports: the non-re-export declaration. Until now, buyers of war material have undertaken not to resell it without the approval of the country of origin, such as Switzerland. Without these obligations, the door is opened to indirect arms deliveries to conflict zones. The consequence: Swiss weapons can be sold to conflict regions via subsidiaries or intermediaries, as well as to states that systematically violate human rights.
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The major exception: arms deliveries to Ukraine will still not be possible with this amendment to the law. Direct deliveries as well as indirect re-exports from other countries that want to resell Swiss war material to Ukraine are not possible due to neutrality policy reasons.
Mediate instead of arming
In view of the escalating armed conflicts worldwide, social polarization and increasing anti-democratic tendencies, terre des hommes schweiz is convinced that the global challenges cannot be solved simply by rearmament and an international arms race. Switzerland in particular has made a name for itself over many decades; as a neutral country, it can successfully mediate between different parties to a conflict. Swiss international cooperation organizations are rightly proud of their long humanitarian tradition and great expertise in the field of peacebuilding.
With the referendum against the relaxation of regulations on arms exports, we are also concerned with Switzerland’s credibility as a pioneer in peace policy and humanitarian principles. In turbulent times like these, Switzerland must not abandon its compass of values. No arms sales to autocratic regimes, unjust states and conflict zones must remain clearly regulated by law.
From the experience of terre des hommes schweiz
More weapons for a militarized security policy creates more suffering. We know from our work in Brazil and Colombia : Militarized security policy is a symptom of governments being overwhelmed in dealing with organized crime. The result is excessive state violence against civil society. Neighborhoods become theaters of war. One example is the bloody police operation in two favelas in Rio de Janeiro at the end of October 2025. At least 121 people lost their lives in this deadly police action.
Countries that are not the focus of international media coverage are easily perceived as unproblematic trading partners for the supply of war material and weapons. The approval of arms exports is a direct contribution to the escalation of violence, not only in countries at civil war, but also in states where human rights are systematically violated.
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
