Swiss count on bilateral treaties with EU
The bilateral accords between Switzerland and the European Union have the support of four out of five Swiss citizens, according to the Credit Suisse Worry Barometer.
The latest survey, which was published on Wednesday, found that backing for the treaties with Brussels has increased from 60% to 81% compared with the previous year. Only 19% of respondents want to suspend the accords, down 5% on 2015.
On the other hand, only 10% of respondents said they would support Swiss membership of the 28-nation bloc.
Once again, unemployment, immigration and the old age pensions are the main issues that worry citizens. For the first time, road and railway infrastructure features on the list of top concerns.
Optimism
More than two thirds of the population consider their personal situation as good or very good, according to the executive summary.
“The Swiss people are more positive about their own personal economic situation this year than ever before. Only a small fraction expect it to worsen.”
Most respondents also said Britain’s decision to leave the EU was an advantage for Switzerland’s economy and for negotiations with Brussels.
Personal identification with the country has remained high, according to the opinion poll, with nearly nine out of ten people saying they are proud of Switzerland.
Confidence
A clear majority of the Swiss continue to have confidence in most of the country’s political institutions and business leaders.
The Supreme Court ranks top in terms of trustworthiness, ahead of the Senate, police and the cabinet.
Neutrality, Swiss quality and education are seen as Switzerland’s main strengths, as in previous years.
The Worry BarometerExternal link, complied by the GfS Bern research instituteExternal link on behalf of the Credit Suisse bank, is published annually.
The latest survey, based on responses from 1,010 people across Switzerland in July, is the 40th since 1976.
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