{"id":531881,"date":"2026-03-26T07:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T06:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leregardlibre.com\/?p=531881"},"modified":"2026-03-26T12:51:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T11:51:59","slug":"national-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leregardlibre.com\/en\/policy\/switzerland\/national-defense\/","title":{"rendered":"An \u00abideal national defense\u00bb to strengthen cohesion\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

National cohesion, political divisions, external threats: Switzerland needs a new \u00abspiritual national defense\u00bb, argues historian and centrist member of the Fribourg Grand Council Bernhard Altermatt.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Recently, SVP members of parliament, true to their anti-European line, have threatened to secede with the minority cantons if the third package of bilateral agreements between Berne and Brussels is accepted by the people. Unrealistic as they may be, such statements show a lack of political civic-mindedness. Their main aim is to cultivate resentment, even if it means deepening divisions. From a centrist perspective, it's hardly surprising that similar secessionist bravado has also been uttered by pro-European activists in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, a few weeks ago, Zurich's urban left called for the canton to be split in two following a vote limiting the competence of large cities to generalize 30 km\/h on their territory. It would be too simple to dismiss this kind of nonsense as whimsical cackling - after all, it's voiced by personalities belonging to the country's two biggest parties. By admitting to such rhetoric, the Red-Green camp and the Agrar party are calling into question the sovereign decisions of the people, even though they usually claim to be particularly good democrats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The importance of national cohesion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rhetoric that plays on ideas of secession calls into question the will to preserve national cohesion. Doubting membership of a common entity on the basis of political disagreements demonstrates a blatant lack of civic immaturity and patriotism. Marked by diversity and federalism, our country has an existential interest in safeguarding a sense of community, and hence in proscribing splittist fads. The public expects politicians to continually seek a balance between regions, bridge social divides and promote the common good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the absence of a realistic alternative, the main motivation is to maintain peace and stability, both internally and externally. It's obvious that cities and countryside have no choice but to coexist within our country. The same applies to French and German speakers, Italian and Romansh speakers, older and younger generations, social partners, religious communities and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n