History

2022 Stop F-35 Initiative

On August 31, 2021, the GSoA, together with the Greens and SP-PS, launches the Stop F-35 Initiative and submits it to the Federal Chancellery after less than a year on August 16, 2022.

2020 Narrow rejection of the fighter jet referendum / rejection of the war business initiative

On September 27, the GSoA narrowly misses a victory in the vote on the fighter jet referendum with 49.85% no votes. Due to the close result, the GSoA announces that it will consider an initiative against the actual purchase of new fighter jets.

On November 29, the war business initiative is put to the vote and achieves a respectable success with 42.55% votes in favor.

2019 Yes to protection against armed violence!

The GSoA is involved in the referendum campaign for the revision of the Weapons Act, which is comfortably approved in May.

2018 Launch of the Correction-Initiative.

In response to planned relaxations of the War Material Ordinance by the Federal Council, the Alliance against Arms Exports to Civil War Countries is formed. The Correction-Initiative is launched, the signatures collected in record time, and implemented by Parliament with a counter-proposal that tightens export practices.

2017 Launch of the war business initiative

Louise Schneider spray-paints the construction wall in front of the National Bank with the words “Money for weapons kills” on the morning of April 11. With this, the war deals initiative is launched and an intensive collection period begins.

2016 GSoA decides on initiative against investments in war material producers.

In spring, the general assembly decides to draft a new popular initiative against investments of banks, insurance companies and pension funds in war material producers.

2015 Ausgeschossen!

The GSoA launches the awareness campaign “Ausgeschossen!”. It focuses on four central demands for a consistent peace policy: a ban on war material exports, a ban on investments in war material producers, the promotion of civilian research and education, and the weakening of the arms lobby in the Federal Parliament.

2014 No to Gripen!

In the fall of 2013, the GSoA, together with an alliance, launches the referendum against the procurement of the new Gripen fighter jets. The referendum is successful with over 65,000 valid signatures and the procurement fund is rejected on May 18, 2014 with 53.4%!

2013 Initiative to abolish compulsory military service

A little more than 26% yes votes are not an exhilarating result. The bourgeois played the GSoA card and turned the initiative into a question of principle. Army: Yes or No. The fact that against this background more than a quarter of the electorate nevertheless voted in favor is due to a committed referendum campaign – especially by the younger generation.

2012 Submission of the initiative for the abolition of compulsory military service.

With this initiative, the GSoA attacks one of the last big taboos in Swiss politics.

2011 Rejection of the initiative “For the protection against gun violence”.

Swiss voters reject the initiative for a more restrictive weapons law. 43% of the voters and five and a half cantons support the initiative. Switzerland remains the only country where the state gives its soldiers assault rifles to take home.

2010 Withdrawal of the already submitted initiative against the purchase of new fighter jets

Once again the fighter jet issue is on the agenda. However, the GSoA withdraws an already submitted initiative because the Federal Council promises not to procure any new fighter jets until the end of the requested moratorium.

2009 Rejection of the initiative against war material exports / No Swiss military deployment in the context of Operation Atalanta / Several initiatives submitted

Despite a (according to the Tages-Anzeiger) “clever and committed” campaign, the Swiss electorate rejects the GSoA initiative against war material exports. At least the Federal Council promises not to approve arms deliveries to Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia in the future.

The rejection of the military deployment as part of Operation Atalanta off Somalia is one of the GSoA’s most important lobbying successes in parliament. New foreign deployments of the armed forces are thus off the table for the foreseeable future.

Submission of the initiative for protection against armed violence on February 23, 2009. Only a short time later, on June 6, the GSoA submits the initiative against new combat aircraft.

2008 Initiative against new fighter jets launched

In June, the GSoA launches the popular initiative “Against new fighter jets”, which calls for a ten-year moratorium on the procurement of new fighter jets.

2007 Spies at the GSoA! / Launch of the initiative “For protection against armed violence” / Initiative for a ban on war material exports submitted

The Geneva State Security tries to infiltrate an agent into the GSoA. Two years later, the GSoA unmasks an informer from the right-wing conservative PR agency Farner. The agency had tried to get hold of the GSoA’s plans for the war material vote. The authorities had already intensively monitored the GSoA in the 1980s.

In September, a broad alliance launches the popular initiative “For protection against gun violence” to reduce the wide availability of firearms in Switzerland.

Also in September, the GSoA submits almost 110,000 valid signatures for a ban on war material exports.

2006 Launch of the initiative for a ban on war material exports

The GSoA starts collecting signatures for the popular initiative for a ban on war material exports.

2004 Soldiers’ Committee against “internal operations”

The army deploys thousands of soldiers for the WEF, the protection of embassies or later for the European Football Championship. A soldiers’ committee of the GSoA opposes these “internal operations”.

2003 Peace movement against military interventions in the Middle East

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan politicize a whole generation of young people. The GSoA is the supporting organization of the demonstrations, in which up to 40,000 people take part in Bern. The GSoA sells tens of thousands of PACE flags. There is hardly anyone left in Switzerland who is in favor of “humanitarian interventions”.

2001 Second Army Abolition Initiative and Initiative for a Civil Peace Service are rejected / Referendum against new military law

A few weeks after the terrorist attacks of September 11, the two proposals attract little public attention. Only just under a quarter of voters support the initiatives.

The GSoA is collecting a referendum against the new military law, which provides for armed foreign missions. The law is only narrowly accepted with 51 percent.

1999 Switzerland joins the UN

The GSoA plays a major role in collecting signatures for UN membership.

1996 Second army abolition initiative is passed

The GSoA decides on a second army abolition initiative. Some long-standing exponents leave the GSoA as a result.

1994 GSoA supports peace organizations in the Balkans

The GSoA is involved in the Balkans with its own projects and supports local peace organizations. Among other things, the GSoA helps the then still unknown Serbian movement Otpor, which overthrows the dictator Milosevic years later.

1993 Voters in favor of F/A-18 / GSoA propagates civilian solution in former Yugoslavia

The military department conducts an extremely intensive referendum campaign for new fighter jets. In the end, 57 percent of the population favored the purchase of new F/A-18s.

The wars in former Yugoslavia lead to a split within the Swiss peace movement. While the GSoA propagates civilian solutions, a part of the left calls for “humanitarian interventions”.

1992 Signature collecting record: Half a million signatures in only 32 days against the F/A-18! / Introduction of civilian service!

Within only 32 days the GSoA collects more than half a million signatures against the purchase of new F/A-18 fighter jets. This collection record has never been equaled before or since in the history of Swiss direct democracy.

After decades of struggle, Switzerland finally decides to introduce a civilian service. In previous years, more than 10,000 young men had spent several months each in prison for refusing military service.

The GSoA store in Zurich’s District 5 sells GSoA T-shirts, GSoA sack knives, GSoA coffee mugs, GSoA wine and GSoA underpants, among other things.

1990 GSoA calls for refusal of service

The GSoA publishes the “Call to Action”, i.e. to refuse to serve, in order to lend weight to the demand for the introduction of civilian service.

1989 Abolition of the army via the ballot box?

After an eventful referendum campaign, 35.6 percent of the electorate votes in favor of abolishing the Swiss army. Beforehand, military officials had announced that more than 10 percent of votes in favor would be a disaster. The result of the vote makes headlines around the world and changes Swiss society’s relationship with the army forever.

1987 Censorship on Swiss Television!

Swiss television refuses to show the film “The dream of slaughtering the holiest cow” by Roman Brodmann. Instead, German ARD broadcasts the documentary about the GSoA.

1986 Submission of the first army abolition initiative

After 18 months of collecting signatures, the GSoA hands over 111,300 signatures for the abolition of the army to the Federal Chancellery in September.

1982 Foundation of the GSoA

The GSoA is founded in the Restaurant Kreuz in Solothurn by a solid 120 people. Previously, a restaurant in Kiental (BE) had cancelled the rental of premises at short notice for fear of reprisals.