«The worst thing for Switzerland would be for neutrality to be defined».»

Professor of History at the University of Geneva, Irène Hermann specializes in Swiss neutrality. Although neutrality is under particular scrutiny today, it has never been unambiguous for the historian, who demystifies it in the light of the past. Interview.

The return of war to European soil has brought Switzerland face to face with its historical neutrality. While the country did not give in on the re-export of its weapons, which it still refuses to send to countries in conflict, it did accept the sanctions imposed by the Western camp on the Russian belligerent. This was all it took for many international countries to stop considering Switzerland neutral. Internally, the politico-philosophical debate on this historic pillar has been rekindled, and not everyone is in agreement. What view does academic Irène Herrmann take of Swiss neutrality?