Strong Solidarity Withstands Crises

High Importance, Particularly Noticeable in One’s Immediate Environment

The importance of solidarity enjoys broad support: 95 percent consider acts of solidarity important for social coexistence, and 93 percent consider them important for themselves personally.

However, the extent to which solidarity is perceived depends significantly on proximity. 76 percent perceive the Swiss population as showing solidarity toward people within their own country, while the figure is 42 percent for people outside Switzerland. This pattern is even more pronounced in people’s personal circles: 85 percent perceive their circle of friends as showing solidarity, 82 percent their family, and 55 percent their neighborhood. In the workplace, the corresponding figure is 32 percent; in public spaces, 21 percent; and on social media, 7 percent.

Broad Consensus, Diverse Expectations

There are also common points of reference when it comes to the concept of solidarity: 97 percent believe we have a responsibility toward future generations. Ninety-three percent believe that people should help one another in times of need and that the government should support people in emergency situations.

At the same time, for many, assistance comes with certain expectations. 76 percent think it is important to assess whether someone actually deserves support. 70 percent also view solidarity as reciprocity, while 63 percent emphasize each individual’s responsibility for their own well-being. Solidarity thus encompasses both shared responsibility and expectations of personal effort and mutual support.

Four Different Logics of Solidarity

The study identifies four types of solidarity: the principle-oriented, the self-reliant, the cosmopolitan, and the committed. They differ primarily in how far solidarity extends and what conditions are attached to providing support.

A key factor is, in particular, who should receive help and what role need, hardship through no fault of one’s own, or personal involvement play. The four types are distributed differently across social groups: age, gender, and party affiliation show certain correlations but only partially explain the different logics of solidarity.

Even highlighting specific ways to help does not have the same effect on everyone. Principle-oriented and committed supporters of solidarity are more likely to be motivated to act as a result, while self-reliant supporters of solidarity react comparatively little to such appeals.

Crises Are Perceived as More Frequent and Severe

The public’s perception of the crisis situation has worsened significantly. 86 percent believe that the number of crises has increased in recent years. 82 percent perceive an increase in their severity.

This assessment varies across different demographic groups. Among those over 65, 53 percent see a sharp increase in the number of crises, compared to 34 percent among 18- to 39-year-olds. Women also perceive this trend more strongly: 91 percent see more crises, compared to 82 percent of men. A similar difference is evident in the perceived severity, at 87 percent versus 77 percent.

These crises are not merely abstract. Fifty-nine percent feel personally burdened by the various crises. Here, too, the difference by gender is clear: 67 percent of women feel a personal burden, compared to 50 percent of men.

Despite this heightened perception, the willingness to donate remains unchanged at 60 percent, given the number of crises. What has changed more significantly is how people choose where to help: 85 percent feel they cannot help everywhere, and 78 percent are more carefully weighing where to direct their efforts. This suggests that the focus is less on a withdrawal from solidarity and more on coping with a crisis situation that is perceived as more intense and burdensome.

Solidarity Remains a Matter of Interpretation

Above all, the results show that while solidarity enjoys broad support in Switzerland, it is interpreted and practiced in different ways. The extent of responsibility, the conditions attached to support, and how people cope with an intensified perception of crisis vary depending on their understanding of solidarity.