Swiss feel less European than their neighbours

Swiss feel a stronger national than European connection Keystone-SDA

According to a recent survey, a majority of the Swiss population felt primarily Swiss. Only 4% said they felt primarily European, according to a survey by the market research institute YouGov Switzerland.

According to the survey, 69% of respondents described themselves as Swiss rather than European. Around 21% saw themselves as both Swiss and European. Dual identification was more common among older respondents: 31% of those over 60 felt equally Swiss and European. In the 15 to 29 age group, only 13% said this. Younger respondents were more likely to describe themselves as primarily Swiss (75%) than older respondents (64%).

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A different picture emerged across the border. In Germany, 47% surveyed saw themselves primarily as German and 11% as European. A good third (35%) weighted both identities equally.

In Austria, 49% of respondents tended to describe themselves as Austrians. While 19% felt primarily European, 28% stated an equal national and European identity.

For the survey, 2,283 people were interviewed in Germany, 1,000 people in Austria and 1,245 Switzerland. The online interviews took place between January and May 2025. The results were weighted according to age, gender and region and are representative of the respective resident population.

Adapted from German by DeepL/ac

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