Swiss to vote on whether to abolish conscript army

[CougarKing]

So who will defend Switzerland if this ever passes?

link

Swiss voters will head to the ballot box Sunday to decide whether to abolish their conscript army, as much a part of the Alpine nation’s image as direct democracy, chocolate and cheese.

Countries across Europe have ditched the draft in the two decades since the end of the Cold War, and pro-change campaigners say Switzerland should head the same way.

But pollsters forecast the anti-conscription referendum — spearheaded by pacifists, backed by left-wing parties, and opposed by the right, parliament and the government — will fall flat.

A survey last week gave it only 31 percent support.

A vote on abolishing the army outright in 1989 mustered a surprise 36 percent support, but just 21 percent backed a similar move in 2001.

The debate has exposed sharp divisions between adversaries who see the mass army as a relic and those who cherish it as a hub of national identity.

.....

AFP

 

[Jungle]

I'd be surprised if it passed; and for those who think the US is crazy about it's firearms, you're in for a surprise... shooting is a family pastime in Switzerland, often with 3 generations of men and service rifles together on the range, with their ladies enjoying a good shootout. All with government-paid ammo...

 

[Canadian.Trucker]

I've never really thought of the Swiss as having a conscript army, but more a true citizen militia that you have to serve in.

 

[The Bread Guy]

So who will defend Switzerland if this ever passes?

link

1)  An all-volunteer force
2)  Elements of whatever alliance it may choose to join
3)  Tamerlane Industries  ;D

 

[CougarKing]

Well at least 73% of those who voted weren't naïve.

Defense News link

GENEVA — Swiss voters on Sunday overwhelmingly rejected a referendum calling for an end to the country’s military draft, with 73 percent casting ballots against the plan, exit polls showed.

In a country whose part-time army is ingrained in the national image — and seen abroad as Swiss as cheese, chocolate and Heidi — voters bucking a post-Cold War European trend against conscription was no surprise.

But the exit polls by the gfs.bern institute for public broadcaster RTS showed that opposition to the plan was a full 10 percentage points higher than forecast over recent days.

Armed neutrality has been the cornerstone of Switzerland’s defense policy for almost two centuries, with soldiers straddling the civilian and military worlds, keeping their weapons at home when they are not in training.

“Abolishing military service would break the genuine link uniting the people and the army,” insisted Defence Minister Ueli Maurer ahead of Sunday’s vote.

But there is also an anti-military undercurrent in Switzerland, which has not been invaded since the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century, despite major scares during World Wars I and II.
Direct democracy is another bedrock of Swiss society, and referenda are held several times a year on a range of federal and local issues.

Th exit polls showed that 27 percent of voters backed the anti-conscription plan Sunday, slightly down on the forecast score.

The anti-draft camp, spearheaded by pacifists and left-wing parties, had not expected victory Sunday, but had been eyeing a symbolic score of at least 30 percent.

(...)

 

[medicineman]

I'd be surprised if it passed; and for those who think the US is crazy about it's firearms, you're in for a surprise... shooting is a family pastime in Switzerland, often with 3 generations of men and service rifles together on the range, with their ladies enjoying a good shootout. All with government-paid ammo...

Marksmanship is almost part of the DNA there...an urban legend has Kaiser Wilhelm inspecting a Swiss honour guard during a state visit prior to the First World War and asking one of the soldiers " What would happen if a German Army ten times the size of yours invaded Switzerland?"  The soldier allegedly answered "We'd each have to fire only ten shots".

MM