Territorial Defense of Switzerland (Part 2)

Legal Foundations

The primary legal basis for the security and territorial defence of Switzerland is, of course, the Federal Constitution. Article 57 of the Constitution refers to the federalism and subsidiarity of the Swiss state, stating that the Confederation and the cantons, within the scope of their competences, ensure the security of the country and the protection of the population.

Article 58, paragraph 1, emphasizes the militia character of the Swiss armed forces: “…It is fundamentally organized on a non-professional basis.”

Paragraph 2 of this article highlights the neutral and defensive nature of the army: The army serves to prevent war and contributes to the preservation of peace; it defends the country and its population.

In turn, Article 60, paragraph 1, stresses that defence policy falls within the competence of the federal authorities in this federal state: Military legislation, as well as matters concerning the organization, training, and equipment of the armed forces, are the responsibility of the Confederation.

Another legal act is the Federal Act on the Armed Forces and Military Administration, which specifies the procedures for command and organization of the Swiss army. Below are the key provisions contained in this act, which constitutes the most important legal basis for the functioning of the Swiss armed forces.

Conditions and Current Security Policy

Switzerland’s current security policy was defined by the Federal Council in 1980. At that time, the famous slogan was coined: “Switzerland does not have an army; it is an army.” This phrase symbolizes the importance of national territorial defence in Switzerland, whose task is to protect the territorial integrity of the country and ensure the security of its inhabitants, combined with political neutrality, without aspirations to hegemonic power or any territorial claims.

This approach has historical roots: the militia system of the army, combat readiness during World War II within the framework of the national redoubt strategy, and the practice of soldiers and officers keeping their uniforms and weapons at home. The entire society is prepared to repel a potential enemy attack; therefore, human resources constitute the most important factor, forming the decisive component of Switzerland’s strength and its deterrence capabilities. As mentioned above, the primary task of the Swiss army is the defence of its own territory; therefore, Switzerland remains outside military alliances and does not participate in foreign conflicts, except for peacekeeping missions, for example in Korea or Kosovo.

In 2018, the Swiss armed forces numbered nearly 130,000 active-duty and territorial troops, as well as over 40,000 reservists. Thanks to the fact that soldiers of territorial units and reservists keep their personal equipment and weapons at home, full mobilization can be carried out within 72 hours.

Switzerland’s security policy during the Cold War was defined by the so-called Bindschedler Doctrine, which assumed the development of foreign policy based on Swiss neutrality. This concept remained in force until 1993, when a report was issued that led to a revision of its assumptions and defined new objectives and instruments for their implementation. It was indicated that cooperation with other states should be pursued in order to maintain international order.

The reasons for the development of the territorial army in Switzerland stem not only from the positive deterrent effects during World War I and World War II, which meant that Switzerland did not feel the need to create a professional army. Equally important were geographical conditions, namely the Alps and the extensive system of dams, which were intended to delay the actions of a potential adversary. Another factor was the economic aspect. An attack on Switzerland would destabilize the banking system, the consequences of which would also affect other countries, particularly Nazi Germany. Undoubtedly, these factors partly generated the existence and development of the Swiss territorial service.

The Swiss, convinced of the effectiveness of the measures described above, strive for optimal training and equipment of their citizens. When addressing the issue of citizens’ involvement in national defence, one should recall the slogan: “Dein Land, deine Sicherheit, deine Armee” (“Your country, your security, your army”), which reflects values important to every Swiss citizen. The reference to homeland, security, and armed forces sets three fundamental pillars upon which the desired paradigm of social behavior toward national defence is based. Civic involvement understood in this way in the process of building the state’s defence capabilities enables effective deterrence, which includes widespread access to weapons among civilians and, consequently, the engagement of the population and their active participation in preventing conflicts and ensuring collective security.

In a report by the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (Eidgenössisches Departement für Verteidigung, Bevölkerungsschutz und Sport), it was stated that “Die Leistung der Armee ist eine Leistung von Menschen” (“The army’s performance is the performance of people”). These words capture the essence of Switzerland’s territorial army.

After the end of the Cold War in Europe, the size of the Swiss armed forces was gradually reduced as a result of military reforms. Nevertheless, the militia system was not abolished – in contrast to neighboring states, which established professional armies.

It is worth recalling that in 2013 a nationwide referendum was held, in which the Swiss rejected the possibility of creating a professional army, maintaining the status quo. As many as 73% of Swiss citizens considered the existing form of military service to be optimal and not requiring radical changes.