The Swiss Vote To Keep The Military Draft

At an official visitors' day at a Swiss Army base, veterinary section troops play traditional cow-bells. BBC

Swiss Voters Reject Initiative To End Mandatory Military Service -- Wall Street Journal

Voters rejected an initiative that would have phased out one of Switzerland's distinguishing institutions: mandatory military service.

An army of German-speaking bank managers and Italian-speaking shop clerks will continue patrolling Switzerland's Alpine forests.

On Sunday, voters rejected an initiative that would have phased out one of Switzerland's distinguishing institutions: mandatory military service. Early projections showed 73% weighing in against the plan to scrap conscription, according to gfs.bern, a polling company.

"The vote shows that for many people in Switzerland, conscription is a part of the identity of this country," said Nikolai Prawdzic, a spokesman for the Group for Switzerland without an Army, the organization behind the proposal. The vote came at a bad time, Mr. Prawdzic said, because many Swiss citizens feel the need to cling to cultural institutions in the face pressure from the U.S. and European Union on matters such as bank secrecy.

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More News On The Swiss Voting To Keep The Military Draft

Switzerland referendum voters to keep army conscription -- BBC
Swiss Vote to Keep Mandatory Army Service -- New York Times/AP
Swiss voters reject bid to scrap military conscription -- Reuters
Neutral but armed to the teeth: Swiss voters back military conscription -- Global post/AP
Switzerland Votes to Maintain 165-Year-Old Military Draft -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Swiss voters say no to ending mandatory military service -- Deutsche Welle