Environmental awareness, social justice and financial burdens: the results of the VOX analysis November 2024

10.01.2025 | Tobias Keller, GFS Bern

On 24 November 2024, the Swiss electorate voted on four key proposals. Three were rejected, with only the health reform receiving a majority. The rejection was characterised by strong left-green mobilisation, environmental awareness and criticism of social and financial aspects.

Furthermore, clear differences between the genders emerged. Women rejected all four proposals by a majority, while men tended to approve. The difference was particularly pronounced among young voters under the age of 30. The greatest difference among the four proposals was found in the expansion of the national roads.

Expansion of the national roads: environmental awareness wins

The deciding factors in the ‘no’ vote on the expansion of the national motorway network were environmental concerns and criticism of a lack of foresight in the expansion concept. The argument that more roads lead to more traffic convinced 89 per cent of the opponents. In particular, left-wing and environmentally conscious voter groups, as well as women, rejected the proposal by a clear margin. Although 64 per cent of those surveyed recognised that the existing motorway network is overburdened, this was not enough to win a majority.

 

Tenancy law: No consensus on subletting and termination of personal use

Two proposals concerned tenancy law. The amendment on subletting was intended to prevent abusive subletting, but was perceived by a majority as unnecessary bureaucratisation. Tenants in particular saw no added value in the regulation, as existing laws were considered sufficient. Party politics also revealed clear divisions: left-leaning voters rejected the proposal by a clear margin, while centre-right parties voted in favour of it. The second tenancy law proposal on terminating a lease for personal use sought to relax the requirements for owners. Opponents saw the bill as a weakening of tenants’ rights and feared that it would make it easier to terminate leases. It was particularly striking that a majority of GLP supporters voted against the bill, contrary to their party’s national yes vote. The vote once again highlighted the polarisation between tenants and landlords.

Healthcare reform: a ray of hope

The only other bill to pass with a majority was the single-payer healthcare system. Those who voted in favour saw the bill as an opportunity to curb the rise in premiums and implement a socially responsible reform for the future of the healthcare system. However, there were also critical voices here: some feared a growing power of the health insurance companies. Nevertheless, the reform convinced with its future-oriented approach and also found approval among part of the left-wing electorate.

 

Method

The results of the VOX analysis are based on a representative follow-up survey of 3,113 randomly selected voters, conducted by gfs.bern on behalf of the Federal Chancellery. The survey was conducted both online and using paper questionnaires.

 

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Further information and older VOX publications at www.vox.gfsbern.ch.


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Tobias Keller

Tobias Keller

Project manager and Team Lead Data Analytics