Switzerland rejects bid to axe military conscription

Switzerland voted overwhelmingly yesterday to keep military conscription — the third time citizens of the Alpine nation had rejected an attempt to reconstitute an institution regarded by many Swiss as a national “glue”.

The neutral country, which has not fought an international war in 200 years, voted 73% in favour of maintaining the draft, seen as helping to bind together generations of Swiss who do not share a single language or culture.

All 23 Swiss cantons voted to keep conscription.