ABSTRACT
After an early period of international activism, which lasted until the bloody defeat at Marignano in 1515, Swiss foreign policy restricted itself for centuries to the more or less passive role of an observer, changing this costume occasionally for that of a discreet Samaritan. Although Swiss participation in peacekeeping operations does not necessarily depend on joining the United Nations, any contribution has to be evaluated from a neutrality perspective, which means that the neutral state must avoid being involved in an armed conflict or siding with one of the conflicting parties. The abolition of the Swiss army, which was proposed by a popular initiative and rejected by a solid majority of the voters, would have run counter to international customary law, which obliges Switzerland to defend its permanent neutrality and to prepare for its defense in times of peace.
