Swiss feel safe and trust security forces, says report
Swiss survey respondents report a high level of confidence in authorities and institutions, especially the police.
Keystone
Most Swiss citizens say they feel safe both at night and in public spaces, but want the fight against terrorism stepped up, according to a new survey.
This content was published on
2 minutes
SDA_ATS/cl
Results of the survey of some 1,200 Swiss citizens were presented Friday in BernExternal link (link in French) as part of the report “Security 2018External link” (PDF in German) by the military academy and Center for Security Studies of the Swiss Federal Technology Institute ETH Zurich.
According to the study, 83% of Swiss report feeling safe when out in public – up 4% on 2017. However, nearly 90% of people interviewed felt that efforts to fight terrorism and political extremism must be strengthened. The Swiss also recognise that despite security measures, there is always some degree of risk. More than two-thirds of respondents believed that better educational opportunities would decrease terrorism worldwide.
Among institutions and authorities, the police are still those in whom the public have most trust (7.9 in 10 respondents), followed by courts (7.4) and the government (7).
More youth support the military
As in previous years, the Swiss report feeling positive toward their army, which is “necessary” in the opinion of 81% of respondents. Nearly eight respondents in ten between the ages of 18-29 said they support the military, which is an increase of 10% compared to 2017.
Switzerland’s famous policy of neutrality is also supported almost unanimously. For most respondents, it is linked to the nation’s identity and allows Switzerland to play a mediating role in conflicts.
ETH Zurich’s Security report has been published since 1999. For this year’s study, 1,209 Swiss citizens were interviewed during the month of January 2018.
More
More
Swiss Politics
Swiss feel safer at home, more threatened abroad
This content was published on
The annual survey revealed growing confidence among the Swiss about safety inside their own borders. Some 93% of the 1,209 people who were asked said they felt fundamentally safe in Switzerland – up from 86% in 2016. The questionnaire was released as Britain’s official terror threat level was raised to critical following a suicide bombing…
Swiss cantonal ministers keep low profile on social media
This content was published on
A small base of followers and neutral posts: these are the conclusions that emerge from a study published by UNIL researchers into the use of social networks by councillors of state.
Swiss rents forecast to rise up to 5% annually, housing chief warns
This content was published on
Rents on the Swiss market are set to rise by between 3% and 5% a year over the next few years, warned Martin Tschirren, Director of the Federal Housing Office (FHO), on Sunday. "Demand for housing remains higher than supply".
This content was published on
The Council of the Swiss Abroad, meeting today in Bern, passed a resolution in favour of the new Electronic Identity Act (Id-e), which will be put to the vote on 28 September.
One person consumes 4.8 megawatt hours of electricity
This content was published on
On average, the Swiss consume 4.8 megawatt hours of electricity per year. According to Velobiz.de, this is roughly equivalent to the amount generated by all 176 cyclists in the Tour de France during the entire race.
Outgoing ICRC chief in Ukraine defends neutrality amid war
This content was published on
Swiss national Jürg Eglin, outgoing head of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ukraine, reflects on his tenure.
Green party leader criticises government’s neo-liberal policy
This content was published on
The Green Party delegates' meeting opened on Saturday morning in Vicques (JU) with a speech by party president Lisa Mazzone. Mazzone took particular aim at the Federal Council's policy towards the United States.
Working on Sundays is detrimental to well-being, says Swiss study
This content was published on
A study by the University of Bern shows that working on Sundays is detrimental to well-being and particularly affects women.
Safra Sarasin private bank and former asset manager sentenced
This content was published on
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has fined private bank J. Safra Sarasin CHF3.5 million for aggravated money laundering. A former bank employee received a six-month suspended prison sentence.
JPMorgan to pay CHF270 million to settle 1MDB claims
This content was published on
JPMorgan Chase has agreed to pay CHF270 million to the Malaysian government to settle all issues related to its role in the 1MDB financial scandal.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Switzerland needs more police, says head of coordination body
This content was published on
Switzerland needs 2,000 more police and a national police reserve, says Pierre Maudet, who heads the conference of cantonal police departments.
Swiss government uncoordinated in terror simulation exercise
This content was published on
A simulation of terrorist acts that included a hostage situation at the UN, an attack on a railway station and a potential nuclear plant leak.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.