
Switzerland

Switzerland is a stable democracy that performs at a high level across all observed indicators of democratic performance in the Global State of Democracy Indices (GSoDI) - with the exception of Electoral Participation and Freedom of Religion. Its political identity is perhaps best characterized by its long-standing commitments towards direct representation and decentralization. Economically speaking, Switzerland features a highly competitive export-oriented economy that has exhibited steady, moderate growth and prudent fiscal and monetary policies that have proven to be particularly resilient – including to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Such stability is also present in the country's democratic performance over the last five years. GSoDI data suggests that only three dimensions featured statistically significant movement within this time period, with modest improvements in Gender Equality and Basic Welfare, together with a modest decline in Freedom of Movement.
Switzerland is marked by its sizable foreign-born population and four official linguistic groups distributed across a small geographical area. While factors such as moderate income inequality and high employment rates have largely prevented such factions from turning into deeply rooted social divisions, they are nonetheless the site of some key political cleavages. One quarter of the Swiss population currently remains ineligible to vote on the decisions that impact them due to restrictive naturalization laws. This large proportion of non-citizens has further come to structure national political competition as a result of growing concerns about the cultural and economic consequences of immigration. Closely connected to the issue of immigration is growing social tensions (and concomitant party polarization) with respect to both the Europeanization and globalization of Swiss society – as perhaps most prominently resulting in the abandonment of bilateral negotiations with the European Union (EU) for an institutional framework agreement, and the Swiss administration’s failure to fully implement some successful popular referendums due to conflicts with international obligations or norms. Beyond this tension in balancing sovereignty and supranational integration, national political competition and party polarization have also been driven by core issue areas such as pensions reform and environmental protection. As a result, the Swiss political climate is stagnant; the administration has had difficulties to find the consensus and coordination necessary for implementing change.
In the aggregate, democratic performance in Switzerland is relatively sound. The robustness and durability of the country’s democracy, evident in the high level of trust that Swiss citizens have in their institutions, means that the risk of democratic backsliding or breakdown remains very low. However, in line with GSoDI findings, there are two key areas to watch in the years to come. The first is the growing distrust of immigrant and minority groups, with a 2022 report by a United Nations (UN) working group noting both the high prevalence of racial discrimination against people of African descent as well as the inadequacy of the framework aimed at countering it. This means that the Civil Liberties and Social Rights and Equality sub-attributes ought to be monitored, particularly after a narrow majority of Swiss voters approved a public ban on face coverings. Secondly, the country's performance with regards to Electoral Participation may continue to decline as the proportion of non-citizens is boosted by post-pandemic immigration. This is not to say that Switzerland could not carve out a positive overall trajectory – indeed, recently passed legislation on the transparency of political party funding is likely to strengthen the Free Political Parties sub-attribute, and the development of a National Human Rights Institute, as well as the increased international attention surrounding discrimination, may serve as important points of impetus for reform.
Monthly Updates
October 2022
A report from the United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent was delivered to the Human Rights Council with the conclusions of its visit to Switzerland in January 2022. The report finds that racial discrimination is prevalent and misconduct is often committed with impunity, and concludes that a systemic problem exists. The report recognizes recent positive steps, acknowledging the role of civil society and in particular initiatives led by people of African descent, while highlighting persistent structural problems (including in employment, education, health, and housing). It also points out gaps in the legal framework and institutions, including a disconnect between the national and cantonal levels undermining the implementation of international treaty commitments.