Relationship dossier
Vatican City
Switzerland
Relationship assessment
Diplomatic ties and the Pontifical Swiss Guard anchor a longstanding Vatican City–Switzerland relationship.
Vatican City toward Switzerland
+35The Holy See employs Swiss citizens in the Pontifical Swiss Guard, creating a longstanding institutional connection with Switzerland, alongside diplomatic relations between the two states.
Switzerland toward Vatican City
+35Switzerland maintains diplomatic relations with the Holy See and permits Swiss citizens to serve in the Pontifical Swiss Guard, a distinctive security arrangement closely associated with Vatican City.
Overall relationship
+40The enduring relationship combines diplomatic ties with the distinctive Pontifical Swiss Guard, whose Swiss membership connects the two states in the Holy See's security arrangements. Broader bilateral cooperation is less clearly characterized.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Vatican City and Switzerland maintain diplomatic relations and a distinctive, longstanding security connection through the Pontifical Swiss Guard, whose members are Swiss citizens serving the Holy See. These institutional ties support a cooperative relationship, although the scope of broader government-to-government cooperation is less clear.
Key developments
The Pontifical Swiss Guard was established to serve the pope, creating a longstanding institutional security link between the Holy See and Switzerland through its Swiss members.
Switzerland and the Holy See restored diplomatic relations.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of Swiss government involvement in recruiting, training, or supporting the Pontifical Swiss Guard is unclear.
- The scope of bilateral cooperation beyond diplomacy and the Swiss Guard is unclear.