On 2 December 2025, the Swiss Press Agency (SDA) reported that the National Council had relaxed the export
rules for war material in favor of the arms industry.
Increased arms exports are intended to strengthen the Swiss arms industry and allegedly also the defense capability of the army.
The referendum "No Swiss weapons for civil wars" was launched against this.
It is directed against the amendment to the Federal Act on War Material (KMG) of December 19, 2025.
The collection of signatures will run until April 17, 2026.
If 50,000 valid signatures are collected from eligible voters, the Swiss people will be able to vote on
the adoption of the amendments to the War Material Act.
Today, it is forbidden to export Swiss war material to countries involved in internal or international conflicts.
However, there have been repeated discussions in the past about possible softening of the arms export rules.
Under pressure from the so-called corrective initiative, Parliament finally refrained from making
far-reaching relaxations to arms export regulations in 2021.
The initiative was subsequently withdrawn.
Recently, however, discussions about the re-export of Swiss weapons have flared up again.
These were triggered by requests from EU states that wanted to pass on Swiss armaments in
connection with the Russian attack on Ukraine.
The Federal Council has so far rejected these applications with reference to current Swiss law.
However, the Federal Council has now requested what the two chambers of Parliament demanded in a motion.
According to this, the national government is to be given the authority to deviate from the approval criteria
for arms deals abroad in exceptional circumstances and in order to safeguard Switzerland's interests.
Although the revision was originally based on the Russian attack on Ukraine, it would
still be prohibited to supply weapons to Ukraine.
The Swiss Dispatch Agency's report of 2 December 2025 summarizes the new export rules as follows:
- A group of 25 Western countries is to have significantly more freedom than at present when purchasing armaments in Switzerland.
Even if they are involved in a war, Switzerland should be able to supply these countries.
- Exports to belligerent NATO countries should be possible in principle.
- Only deliveries to countries that systematically and seriously violate human rights are to be excluded.
- Countries should now also be able to transfer the war material they receive to another country without Switzerland's consent.
- The Federal Council can make use of its authority to deviate from the law. This applies in particular to countries
with which Switzerland conducts a lot of trade in war material.
- The Federal Council should be able to decide on exceptions to all rules as it sees fit.
Democratic control by parliament and the public is no longer possible.
The relaxation of laws is also aimed at NATO members.
They should be able to be supplied even if NATO has declared a state of alliance - i.e. if a NATO country has been attacked.
As Kla.TV points out in its program "NATO maneuver 'Steadfast Noon' from 14-28.10.2024 - a further escalation of tensions?"
and in other programs on NATO, the US- or NATO-led wars in particular have caused unspeakable suffering to this day.
This resulted in hundreds of thousands of victims and devastating long-term effects.
NATO is fueling all the warmongering - whether with propaganda, threats or actual armament.
It waged wars from Iraq to Libya, from Yugoslavia to Syria.
In Europe, too, the possibility of war is more present than at any time since the Second World War.
Surely it cannot be in the interests of Swiss citizens for the government to prioritize
economic interests over ethical principles?
Arms deliveries drive the war economy, prolong wars and prevent peace negotiations.
It is always the people who suffer.
The war material referendum is committed to ensuring that Switzerland remains true to its neutrality and
continues to act as a diplomatic mediator for peace.
Instead of further fueling wars with the export of war material, it should make a credible contribution to de-escalation.
Spread the word and sign the referendum by April 17, 2026 at the latest.
You can download the signature form using the direct link in the blue box.