Armed neutrality is crucial to how Switzerland defines itself, he said, going back to the belief a strong army deterred invasion by Nazi Germany in World War II. Voters six years ago rejected the purchase of Gripen jets from Sweden. If there’s no deal by then, the Swiss could withdraw unilaterally, and ban any future freedom-of-movement deals. “We don’t know what’s going to happen in the next 50 years,” Hurter said. “If we don’t replace these old aircraft, that means we have no air force, there is no protection any more and we are not fulfilling our constitution,” he said. After aligning their social policy closer to that of the centre parties in the 1970s, the party has been a prominent critic of social security since the 1990s. Voters get their say on Sunday Sept. 27. Who is attacking a small, neutral country - surrounded by NATO?” asked Priska Seiler Graf, a member of parliament for the left-leaning Social Democrats. The Swiss will vote this weekend on a renewed proposal to limit the number of European Union nationals allowed to live and work in their country, a measure championed by a populist party that wants preferential access for Swiss citizens to jobs, social protection and benefits. 4, battering Louisiana and Texas, New Seahawk statue unveiled at UNC-Wilmington, Your photos: What back-to-school looks like during COVID-19, Images: Hurricane Isaias rainfall totals, wind speeds across North Carolina, Storm damage in Bertie County neighborhood, Images: T-minus 7 hours before expected hurricane makes landfall, families enjoy Myrtle Beach, Photos: Hurricane Isaias damage across North Carolina, Your weather photos: Sunsets, rainbows, comets and more, Confederate statues removed from downtown Raleigh, Your pics: Saharan dust cloud brings beautiful skies to NC, Flooded yards, roads in northeastern counties, Photos from the Clayton Walk & Talk (June 6, 2020), Black Lives Matter murals in downtown Raleigh, Peaceful protests in Chapel Hill, Raleigh, June 3, 2020, From cooking to crafts, we’re at home with you ›, Tips to get discounts when you're in college. Smaller jets could not fly high enough, he said, or have the acceleration needed to react quickly to emergencies. He said that because many of the bilateral agreements are linked, if the one on freedom of movement collapses so would others on issues such as agriculture, trade and research. “We should not add crisis to crisis.”. Lawmaker Michel Matter, of the Liberal Green party, insisted Switzerland shouldn’t jeopardize ties with its No. "So if there are new negotiations, it won’t be in Switzerland’s interest.”. “We are not going to say anything about it a few days before the vote, which is extremely important in Switzerland,” said EU deputy spokesperson Dana Spinant at a briefing in Brussels on Monday. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. The Swiss People’s Party, seething about the inaction, led a campaign to get the issue back on the ballot again this year.