Majority of Swiss do not support an increase in defence spending

McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet fighter jet of the Swiss Air Force. Keystone / Anthony Anex

According to an international poll, 54% of Swiss residents are opposed to more funding for defence, despite the war in Ukraine. Only 12% would be prepared to send soldiers to fight alongside those from Ukraine.

A poll conducted in 15 countries and published on Wednesday by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) shows that a majority of the population is not in favour of increasing the defence budget.

Less than a quarter support an increase in funding, according to the survey of 1,079 people in Switzerland conducted in May by Datapraxis and YouGov. A total of 12% are in favour of sending combat troops to Ukraine. Another 35% were in favour of providing technical assistance to the Ukrainian army, and 29% were in favour of patrolling the border between Ukraine and Belarus.

+ The Swiss army: your questions answered

The Federal Council is aiming for an army spending ceiling of CHF 25.8 billion ($28.6 million) for 2025-2028. The aim is to reach 1% of Switzerland’s GDP by 2035.

Translated from French by DeepL/ac

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