Switzerland

Previous reports: 2023/24

Principal EBCO concerns

As reported by EBCO's Swiss member CIVIVA:²

Developments

At the request of the far right-wing political party SVP, the Swiss Federal Council has yet again decided on several adaptions to the civilian alternative service (Zivildienst) laws in 2023, in order to restrict access to, and worsen the conditions of serving in alternative civilian service. This is only three years after it had proposed a package of restrictions in 2019. The declared intention of the adaptations is to prevent young men from accessing their right to Conscientious Objector status.

One change is to undermine the independence of the civilian service from the military by placing it under the command of the civil defence authority.

In 2024, a further package of six measures was proposed which has yet to be decided by all chambers:

1. a minimum number of 150 days of alternative service (irrespective of the number of days already served in the military prior to application for CO status)

2. the application of the 1.5 ratio of the duration of alternative service to that of military service to officers and NCOs, whose periods of military service are longer than those of the rank and file.

3. no placements that require a degree in human, dental or veterinary medicine

4. no admission of members of the armed forces with 0 remaining days of military service

5. a tightening of the rules regarding the timing of alternative civilian service, requiring that a placement by taken up within the year of admission.

6. likewise, in the case where the application was submitted during military basic training period (recruit school), an obligation to complete the long period of service within the calendar year following the legally binding admission.

The new minimum number of days to be served in civilian alternative service (item 1), and the new conditions for officers (item 2) will result in an increase in the relative duration of alternative service to up to 200% of that of military service, or more depending on the time of application. Moreover, it is once again being suggested that the individual examination of claims of conscientious objection should be reinstated, despite the claim that the increased duration of alternative service serves to test the sincerity of the objection. CIVIVA points out, furthermore, that even if no applications are formally rejected, by no means all lead to acceptances; in fact figures quoted in our 2022 report indicated that about a quarter of all applications, and a greater proportion of applications lodged after military service had begun, were for one reason or another not proceeded with (although in some cases a later application might have been lodged by the same person). In total, less than a quarter of those passed as fit for military service are admitted to the alternative service.

Conscription provisions and procedures

Based on the state responses in our 2023 Report:

Obligatory military service is imposed on all male Swiss citizens. After a first information day, they have to report to a recruitment assessment that lasts three days and after which is determined whether or not they are apt to serve in the Armed forces or not. If they are, they then have to accomplish their military service. If they are not deemed apt for military service, they may serve in the Civil protection. If they are not apt for either service, they pay an exemption tax. The compulsory conscription is stipulated in the Federal Constitution. The ensuing procedures are stipulated in the Law on the Armed forces and the respective ordinances. Preparation for military service does not feature in the secondary education curriculum.

For conscripts (privates and lance corporals), the initial duration of service is at the most 280, but currently 245 days to be served in the period of 10 years. They are composed of a basic training of 5 months followed by yearly refresher-courses of 3-4 weeks.

In the last years, in average 35,000 male citizens go through the recruiting assessment. Around 7,000 declare as unfit for both military service and civil protection. Around 3,000 declare as unfit for military service and apt for civil protection. The remaining 25,000 declare as fit for military service.

Conscientious objection provisions and procedures

Conscripts can – at any time after declared fit for military service – stipulate a conflict of conscience and demand to serve in the Alternative Civilian Service instead. This is also guaranteed by the Federal Constitution. Conscripts are informed about the possibilities of a conscientious objection during the first information day and during the recruitment assessment.

Applications do not undergo any scrutiny. Conscripts that choose to serve in the Alternative Civilian Service prove their conscientious objection by accepting the longer duration of civil service (1.5 times the duration of the military service). The Federal Office for Alternative Civilian service (Bundesamt für Zivildienst ZIVI (admin.ch)) is responsible for alternative service arrangements.

The remuneration for alternative service is the same with the other branches (Armed Forces, Civil Protection, Alternative Civilian Service). They are entitled to 80% of their salary before their service. If this is not applicable (i.e. for students), a basic remuneration is paid. Added to that, all conscripts receive a daily pay (per diem). The remuneration in relation to the salary prior to service is administered by the Federal Department of Finance. Per diems are administered by the Armed Forces for military conscripts and by the cantonal civil protection authorities for Civil Protection conscripts. Conscripts in the Alternative Civilian Service receive their per diems by the institutions they are serving in (i.e. hospitals, care centres, etc.).

In the last years, of those 25,000 declaring fit for military service in average, 3,000 declare a conflict of conscience and are consequently transferred to the Alternative Civilian Service. Another 3,000 choose to transfer to the Alternative Civilian Service during their military service.

Voluntary recruitment

Voluntary recruitment into military service is possible for female Swiss citizens. It is not possible for residents of other nationalities. Voluntary military service is governed in the law on the Armed Forces.

1. Population and armed forces figures are derived from The Military Balance 2025, published by the international Institute for Strategic Studies; military expenditure figures are estimates published by SIPRI (The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) in April 2025. ⤴
2. More info about the organisation at: https://www.servicecivil.ch/civiva⤴