Swiss politicians are losing sight of the global challenges
International cooperation is more important than ever in the face of multiple crises, climate change, escalating armed conflicts and global anti-democratic tendencies and polarization. It is alarming how recklessly the Swiss parliament wants to massively cut funding for this central pillar of foreign policy in order to increase the army budget. In the winter session, Parliament will decide on the international cooperation strategy and the 2025 budget.
The bourgeois majorities in parliament are calling for Switzerland's military spending to be increased by four billion over the next four years. However, because they are simultaneously insisting on strict compliance with the debt brake, a drastic reduction in other government spending is required. In mid-September 2024, the National Council decided that it would finance part of the increase in the army budget from the budget for international cooperation (IC). There are several proposals to cut funding for development cooperation, humanitarian aid and peacebuilding. These proposals are based on a very narrow perspective on security policy, which focuses primarily on military armament in the context of national defense.
We cannot solve global crises alone
Global crises cannot be held back by tanks and guns at the borders, but require massive investment in prevention and international cooperation. Pandemics, wars and climate change are exacerbating global hunger and driving rural exodus. The climate crisis is exacerbating conflicts, destabilizing entire societies and affecting peace and stability. The current parliamentary debate does not do justice to the complexity of the challenges in a globalized world. The planned shifts in funding put Switzerland's positive and stabilizing influence in the world at risk. It is in danger of losing its important role as a reliable partner, mediator and humanitarian actor. In view of the scope of the planned budget cuts, an in-depth and transparent debate on sustainable security policy is urgently needed.
Recognizing real dangers
In such a debate, sober threat analyses must be at the forefront of political decision-making. For example, the State Secretariat for Security Policy concludes: "A direct military threat from an attack on Switzerland on land or from the air is unlikely in the short and medium term." The risks of climate change, on the other hand, are far more likely and their damage potential is immense, as the recent flood disasters here in Switzerland made painfully clear. These real dangers require urgent political attention and decisive measures.
Holistic understanding
Prudent security policy is not limited to supposed military threat scenarios, but focuses on prevention and analyzing the causes of risks. A holistic approach to security policy also recognizes the importance of different actors. Development cooperation in particular makes a significant contribution to crisis prevention. It forms a core element of sustainable security policy, acts preventively and strengthens the resilience of societies. You can also read here: Enabling security worldwide | terre des hommes switzerland
Parliament and the population
Public support for Switzerland's humanitarian tradition remains high. This is shown by the representative opinion poll on global cooperation conducted by ETH in 2023: 58 % of respondents are in favor of an increase in Swiss spending on development cooperation, while only 26 % support an increase in military spending. According to the ETH study "Security 2023", 78 % of the 18-35-year-olds surveyed would like Switzerland to provide more development cooperation. This shows that The latest initiatives in parliament politicize completely bypassing the population.
The National Council's vote in September, which contradicts Switzerland's humanitarian values, is a wake-up call. Civil society is now called upon to contribute to a holistic debate on Switzerland's security policy and the role of development cooperation. It is time to move away from outdated arms race reflexes and look for solutions that do justice to the complex challenges of our time.
