Switzerland is part of the fight against terrorism. There is no neutrality against this threat.

However Swiss parties are legally federations of cantonal parties. Samuel Schmid was succeeded by Ueli Maurer of the Swiss People's Party. Schmid was a member of the SVP's centrist/agrarian wing.

He was the head of the Federal Department of Defence Civil Protection and Sports (notably acting as a defense minister for Switzerland). On 12 November 2008 Schmid resigned from the Federal Council effective 1 January 2009. After Blocher was defeated for reelection to the Federal Council in favour of another SVP moderate Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf the SVP caucus voted to exclude Schmid and Widener Schlumpf from the party group.