The Swiss Confederation

Switzerland is a small country in the middle of Europe. It is unique in that it has no definite leader, with executive power resting in the hands of a Federal Council. A confederation of several cantons, it has a long tradition of militias, direct democracy and the pursuit of scientific progress. Switzerland was last successfully invaded by Napoleon Bonaparte about 150 years prior to the mid-1960s. Since then, Switzerland has been a safe haven for bankers, scientists, artists, weapons manufacturers, and other such people who could otherwise be persecuted by the heavy hand of the state. Much to the annoyance of the West, Switzerland is a firmly neutral country with no intention to intervene on any side of the Cold War, instead acting as an important mediator.