Swiss are satisfied with life but critical of their country

Swiss people are satisfied but self-critical Keystone-SDA

Switzerland is a country of contented people with a critical view of their homeland, which has strengths at home but a weaker performance on the international stage, according to a survey.

Security, nature and direct democracy are at the heart of Switzerland, according to a representative survey carried out by research institute gfs.bern on behalf of the magazine Beobachter.

The survey, carried out in early May, is based on online interviews with 1,024 people aged 16 and over in German-speaking, French-speaking and Italian-speaking Switzerland.

The aspects considered most important for national cohesion are direct democracy and participation in decision-making, cited by 64% of respondents. This figure is significantly higher in German-speaking Switzerland than in the other linguistic regions. Economic stability and prosperity were cited in second place (38%). Security and the rule of law came third, at 34%.

The Swiss described themselves as people who live close to nature, are down-to-earth, hard-working and open-minded. Furthermore, 89% of respondents said they were ‘very’ or ‘quite satisfied’ with their lives.

Inequality and polarisation main threats

Satisfaction with Switzerland’s current situation was slightly lower (72%) and depends to a greater extent on party affiliation. Swiss People’s Party supporters were the least satisfied, with 31% ‘somewhat dissatisfied’ and 7% ‘very dissatisfied’.

Some 89% of respondents said they felt a sense of belonging to Switzerland. This sense of belonging is stronger in Italian-speaking Switzerland, the authors write, without providing precise figures.

According to the survey, Switzerland’s main strengths in an international comparison are its political system and democracy, its infrastructure and public transport, and the education and research sector.

The main weaknesses, on the other hand, are the country’s limited influence as a political actor on the world stage, as well as its cultural charisma and creativity. Only 34% acknowledged an inferiority complex when compared with other countries.

Some 73% of participants cited growing inequality as the main threat to Switzerland’s distinctive identity. Political polarisation was cited next, with 72% mentioning this. A majority of around two-thirds of those surveyed also believe that Switzerland must adapt its characteristics in order to remain successful in the future.

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Translated from Italian, reviewed by an English Department journalist.