ABSTRACT
The chapter revisits from a historian’s perspective the circumstances in which the 1992 referendum on EEA membership took place. The author identifies reasons why opponents of the EEA won the referendum, and discusses the legacy of that vote for the subsequent development of the relations between Switzerland and the European Union. In particular, the contribution shows how the roots of the rejection of this relevant referendum are to be found in the legacy left by 50 years of post–World War II Swiss foreign policy with a strong orientation to independence. The chapter also highlights significant parallels with the UK’s Brexit vote of 2016 and the crucial role played by appeals to history and identity in the respective campaigns.
