Comprehensive approach to security: Federal Council launches consultation on Switzerland's security policy strategy
Bern, 12.12.2025 — In light of the deteriorating security situation, the Federal Council is realigning Switzerland's security policy for the coming years. To this end, it has developed a security policy strategy that incorporates the resources of both the federal government and the cantons. The Federal Council intends to address the heightened threat level by strengthening Switzerland's resilience, improving protection and prevention measures, and enhancing the country's defence capabilities. At its meeting on 12 December, it launched the consultation procedure and instructed the relevant departments to start implementation.
Switzerland usually produces a security policy report every four to ten years as a basis for its security policy. The last report was published in 2021 and supplemented in September 2022 with an additional report on the consequences of Russia's attack on Ukraine. Given the continuing deterioration of the security situation in recent years, the Federal Council decided in June 2024 to develop a security policy strategy in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders. Today it opened the consultation procedure.
The security policy strategy provides a framework for the authorities to implement security policy. As an umbrella strategy, it encompasses all relevant security policy areas and serves as the basis for sub-strategies, such as the armaments policy strategy. The strategy is intended not only for the federal government, the cantons and the communes, but also for civil society, business leaders, academics and policymakers to enable these stakeholders to also play a part in its implementation. In addition, the strategy will serve as an orientation for Switzerland's international partners.
Comprehensive security
In its security policy strategy, the Federal Council highlights the significant deterioration of Switzerland's security situation and the increasing range of threats. It identifies the main aspects of these threats and Switzerland's vulnerabilities in relation to them. To counter these threats and protect the country, the Federal Council is pursuing a comprehensive approach that encompasses civil and military resources, federal and cantonal actors, and all aspects of foreign, domestic and economic policy relevant to security.
Three strategic priorities, ten objectives, more than forty measures
In its security policy strategy, the Federal Council has identified three strategic priorities with ten objectives. To achieve these objectives, it has defined more than forty measures.
1) Strengthen resilience: Switzerland's first strategic priority is to reduce vulnerabilities and critical dependencies to make the country less vulnerable to attack and minimise the potential for damage. This should also reduce the likelihood of threats arising in the first place. Six objectives and eighteen measures have been formulated to this end.
2) Improve protection and prevention: Secondly, the people of Switzerland must be better protected against risks, and internal security must be improved. The country must be better equipped to prevent potential and actual attacks, and to protect itself more effectively against their consequences. To this end, two objectives and fifteen measures have been defined.
3) Enhance defence capabilities: Thirdly, Switzerland must be able to defend itself as effectively as possible against an armed attack. In the event of an attack, it should be prepared to defend itself, if necessary in collaboration with its partners. Two objectives and twelve measures have been defined in relation to this priority.
Rapid implementation
In view of the current threat situation, the Federal Council has instructed the relevant departments to begin implementing the new security policy strategy. The DDPS and the State Secretariat for Security (SEPOS) have been tasked with coordinating this work. For this purpose, a steering committee in the form of a permanent interdepartmental working group will be established. The DDPS will report to the Federal Council on the status of implementation by the end of 2028.
The consultation procedure will last until 31 March 2026.