10.07.2026 | Surveys
Self-image, cohesion and the future: Switzerland takes a critical look at itself whilst, at the same time, placing its trust in its democratic strengths
Swiss people associate their country first and foremost with democracy, security and stability. At the same time, concerns about social cohesion are growing. The greatest challenges are seen not as external influences, but as growing inequality and political polarisation. The findings of the gfs.bern study ‘So tickt die Schweiz’ (‘How Switzerland Works’), commissioned by Der Beobachter, paint a picture of a self-critical, pragmatic and, at the same time, confident society.