As the United States disengages from European security, the idea of a defence partnership with the EU is gaining ground in the Swiss parliament. Norway already took the plunge last year. The issue has rekindled debate on Swiss neutrality. The world’s new geostrategic order is prompting Switzerland to consider a change of course in its defence policy. In March the House of Representatives adopted a declaration calling on the government to take “concrete steps to strengthen security cooperation with Europe”. In mid-May, the House of Representatives’ security policy committee formalised this demand, by accepting a motion put forward by Social Democrat parliamentarian Fabian Molina. The motion, which is to come before both houses of parliament, calls on the government to negotiate an agreement on security and defence with the EU. Specifically, the text urges Switzerland to strengthen its cooperation with the European partner states, as well as institutions such as the European Defence ...
