Campaign for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland
The Campaign for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland (German: Aktion für eine unabhängige und neutrale Schweiz - AUNS, French: Action pour une Suisse Indépendante et Neutre - ASIN, Italian: Azione per una Svizzera neutrale e indipendente - ASNI), abbreviated to AUNS or CINS, is a conservative and Euroskeptic political organization in Switzerland that was co-founded by Christoph Blocher and advocates for Swiss independence, neutrality, and direct democracy.
History
The AUNS was founded on June 19, 1986, out of the Committee Against UN Membership (German: Aktionskomitee gegen den UNO-Beitritt) shortly after a referendum on UN membership was successfully defeated.[1] Its founders were Christoph Blocher of the SVP and Otto Fischer of the FDP.[1] Blocher served as the president of the AUNS until 2003, when he was elected a member of the Swiss Federal Council, being successed by fellow SVP-member Pirmin Schwander.[2]
Throughout its history, the AUNS has had some success.[2] It successfully opposed referendums on abolishing the military (1989 & 2001),[2] joining the European Economic Area (1992),[2] joining the EU (2001),[2] as well as numerous other referendums.[2] Additionally, the AUNS supported the immigration referendum of 2014, which was narrowly accepted.[2]
On the other hand, some of its campaigns including against the participation of the Swiss Army in armed United Nations peace-keeping missions (2001),[2] against Swiss succession to the UN (2002),[2] against several bilateral treaties with the European Union (including joining the border-free Schengen Area in 2005).
As of 2014, the AUNS had 30,100 members, down from 45,000 at the end of 2004.[3] Since April 2014, Lukas Reimann, an SVP national councilor, became the president of AUNS, taking over from Schwander.[3]
Organization
The AUNS is a non-partisan organization,[1] but it is also strongly connected to the Swiss People's Party and has been connected to the period of strong electoral growth of the party mainly during the 1990s.[4]
The AUNS has a youth wing called Youth for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland or JUNS.[5]
Views
According to its website, the AUNS supports Swiss independence, neutrality, and direct democracy.[6] The AUNS stands in opposition to EU or NATO membership, involvement of the Swiss military abroad, as well as any loss of Swiss sovereignty.[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Geschichte. Campaign for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland official website. Retrieved on April 1, 2016.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 http://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline/latest/embed/index.html?source=0As5Cu9wUGtlAdGhFakdiT2ZnekJROERCSzEyOFBiTUE
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 We're Not The Only EU Skeptics Swissinfo. May 15, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014
- ↑ Gabriel, Jürgen Martin (2002). The price of political uniqueness: Swiss foreign policy in a changing world. (Report). p. 24. ETH, Forschungsstelle für Internationale Beziehungen. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
- ↑ Young4FUN. Youth for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland official website. Retrieved on April 1, 2016.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Über Uns. Campaign for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland official website. Retrieved on April 1, 2016.
