A leading figure in the German Parliament’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) has expressed openness to Switzerland joining the European Union. Markus Töns, the SPD’s spokesperson for European policy, stated that Switzerland would be “warmly welcomed” should it submit an application for membership.
Töns believes Switzerland possesses qualities that could make it a strong member state, suggesting the accession process would be comparatively straightforward – particularly when contrasted with the lengthy procedures often required for other candidate nations. He also serves as the SPD parliamentary group’s rapporteur for Switzerland. However, he emphasized that any move towards membership must originate from Switzerland itself.
The discussion surrounding potential EU membership comes at a time of economic uncertainty for the traditionally export-focused Swiss economy. Recent imposition of supplementary tariffs of 39 percent by the United States has significantly impacted the Alpine nation, placing it at a greater disadvantage than the EU, which negotiated a flat rate of 15 percent following tough negotiations.
Public opinion within Switzerland currently shows limited support for unconditional EU membership, with recent polls indicating less than 20 percent favouring such a move. Switzerland maintains a long-standing commitment to neutrality as a key tenet of its foreign policy.