[Global Issue+] Switzerland Faces Controversy Over Halting F-35 Purchase Referendum: "Cannot Allow National Defense Gap"

Vote on New Fighter Jets Since 2014
Government: "Can't Delay Any Longer"... Opposition: "Too Expensive"
Controversy Over Refusal of Referendum Guaranteed by 1848 Constitution

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Swiss government recently rejected holding a national referendum on the purchase of F-35 jets, which was pushed mainly by the Swiss opposition parties. The government cited concerns that if the referendum were held and the purchase contract were canceled, it could lead to a significant defense gap. Inside Switzerland, there has been backlash against the decision to refuse a referendum guaranteed by the constitution, with some opinions stating that holding another referendum on this issue, which has been ongoing since 2014, is excessive.

According to AFP on the 27th (local time), the Swiss government announced on the 24th that it could not hold a referendum despite receiving a petition demanding a referendum on the F-35 purchase. Earlier, under the 'Stop F-35' movement led by opposition parties including the Social Democratic Party, 120,000 citizens signed a petition calling for a referendum on whether to purchase the F-35.

According to a constitutional provision enacted in 1848, if more than 100,000 citizens request a referendum on a specific issue, it must be held. However, the Swiss government unusually refused to hold the referendum this time. The government stated that holding the referendum could cause a defense gap and jeopardize the security of the Swiss people, and therefore decided not to conduct the referendum. This has sparked heated debates within Swiss politics.

Next-Generation Fighter Referendum Started in 2014... Accumulated Fatigue

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The next-generation fighter referendum in Switzerland began in 2014. Since Saab of Sweden proposed the purchase of next-generation fighters, several referendums have been held over eight years.

Besides Saab, various manufacturers’ fighters such as Boeing’s Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin’s F-35, and Europe’s Eurofighter Typhoon competed, causing the Swiss government to deliberate extensively. Accordingly, in 2020, a referendum was held asking for approval or disapproval of the government’s policy on introducing next-generation fighters without specifying a particular model. In that referendum, 51% of voters supported the Swiss Ministry of Defense’s policy, allowing the next-generation fighter project to finally proceed.

Following this, the Swiss Ministry of Defense announced last year that it decided to purchase a total of 36 F-35 fighters from Lockheed Martin for $6.2 billion (approximately 8.313 trillion KRW), with plans to finalize the contract by March next year. If the referendum were held, it was uncertain whether the vote could take place by March next year, and if rejected, serious security gap concerns would arise. This led the Swiss government to announce that it would not hold the referendum at all. The prolonged referendum issue had increased security gap concerns and public fatigue.

F-35 Price and Maintenance Cost Controversy: "No Need for a Ferrari in the Sky"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

On the other hand, the Swiss opposition opposes the introduction of the F-35 due to the enormous purchase and maintenance costs and the limited benefit for local Swiss defense. The opposition refers to the F-35 as the "Ferrari of the sky," criticizing it as an unnecessary luxury item.

According to Swiss media Swissinfo, the opposition group 'Stop F-35' issued a statement saying, "The F-35 is nothing more than a luxury jet and is specialized as a bomber for attacking enemy bases rather than airspace defense," adding, "Switzerland has no right to access the F-35 program source code, and it is difficult to operate the fighter autonomously without U.S. interference."

The Swiss government, in the context of increased European security concerns following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, maintains that despite the high cost, the introduction of the F-35 is necessary to enhance cooperation with NATO and the United States. The controversy is expected to continue for some time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.