by Urs Geiser, swissinfo.ch
September 22, 2013 – 20:13

Switzerland will remain one of the last countries in western Europe with mandatory military service after voters overwhelmingly rejected a pacifist initiative to scrap conscription. The vote is a resounding victory for the government.

Defence Minister Ueli Maurer said the defeat of the proposal by the pacifist Switzerland without an Army group to end conscription and introduce a professional army of volunteers was a vote of confidence in the current militia system.

“It is a yes to the army and to more security,” he told a news conference on Sunday.

He said he was now cautiously optimistic about a vote next year on the purchase of 22 Gripen fighter jets from Sweden, given the 73 per cent majority in favour of conscription.

Christophe Darbellay, a parliamentarian for the centre-right Christian Democratic Party and leading member of pro-army committee, said the result was a slap in the face of the pacifist group.

The group, which had collected enough signatures for the ballot on conscription, said the disappointing outcome of the vote was to be expected.

“The army is obviously part of Switzerland’s identity. Emotions held the upper hand over facts,” Nikolai Prawdzic said.

The pacifists had argued the current army was outdated and too expensive.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss_news/Swiss_voters_endorse_army_conscription.html?cid=36955534

The Swiss militia army is here to stay
The Swiss militia army is here to stay (Keystone

Urs Geiser, swissinfo.ch