How does Switzerland think?

Since 1959, we have been analysing what the Swiss think and how this opinion is formed. Our findings on the formation of opinion in Switzerland and in democratic processes in particular are considered groundbreaking and provide important insights into political thinking in Switzerland.

Focus on results

Our focus is on capturing and understanding the voices and attitudes of the Swiss population. Since 2018, we have been publishing our results in the form of digital and interactive cockpits. They provide a comprehensive insight into the political and social landscape in Switzerland.

Swiss eHealth Barometer 2024

Since 2009, the Swiss eHealth Forum has been collecting the eHealth Barometer to analyse the current status and development of eHealth in Switzerland.

Both healthcare professionals and the general population are surveyed in order to draw a comprehensive picture of acceptance and progress in digital healthcare.

Swiss eHealth Barometer 2024: Into the future with AI

VOX analyses
Votations explained since 1977

After every federal vote, gfs.bern conducts a representative survey on behalf of the Federal Chancellery and interviews around 3,000 randomly selected voters. Follow-up surveys after each federal vote help to understand the motives of voters for a Yes or No vote at the ballot box.

You can find out more about VOX analyses (in German, French and Italian), the latest publications (in German, French and Italian) and the background (in German, French and Italian) on our website.

Website VOX-Analyses

Cockpits by topic

Our detailed cockpits show how Switzerland thinks. Topics range from relations with Europe and future mobility to health, education, integration, mental health and social concerns such as public worries and sexual violence.

Europe and SwitzerlandSociety and concerns barometerMobilityHealth and eHealth

Europe and Switzerland

On behalf of our clients, we analyse issues relating to relations between Switzerland and Europe. This relationship is characterised by political, economic and cultural ties. Our cockpits on Europe shed light on how the Swiss population perceives European integration, Switzerland’s relations with the EU and the impact of European politics on everyday life.

We conduct our surveys on a one-off or regular basis, depending on the questions asked. Surveys that we conduct periodically allow us to draw conclusions about changes over time in addition to snapshots.

EU negotiating mandate (December 2023)

Immediately following the national elections in autumn 2023, the voters’ view of Europe is clearly characterised by the advantages of a good and stable relationship with the EU and the clearly expressed desire for further steps to develop this cooperation.

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Strategy development for European policy (November 2022)

The European Movement Switzerland has asked gfs.bern to conduct a preference study among voters on strategy development in European policy. Based on the premise of an institutional link to the EU, combinations with high acceptance potential are to be sought. The contribution of the study must be understood as bottom-up input from the population. It will help the NEBS and potential political allies to position themselves in further negotiations with the EU as well as in parliamentary motions or initiatives.

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Switzerland as a business location 2023

Around a year after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the general assessment of the bilateral agreements has improved slightly compared to the previous year’s survey. The favourable view has increased among SP and FDP supporters in particular. In the past year, the strengthening of peace has become significantly more relevant and, together with the benefits for the economy, is currently the most important element in the positive assessment of the relationship with the EU. In addition to the pressure on domestic wages, the increase in rent and property prices due to immigration is currently seen by the majority as a negative factor.

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Switzerland as a business location 2020

In 2020, Swiss voters continue to prioritise the benefits of the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the European Union, even if the coronavirus crisis has changed this picture slightly. In order not to jeopardise the bilateral agreements, the limitation initiative is currently being rejected by a majority. A possible framework agreement with the EU is welcomed without enthusiasm. This is shown by an extensive survey of Swiss voters commissioned by Interpharma.

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Society and Concerns barometer

We know what is on the minds of the Swiss. Our cockpits record the moods and concerns of the Swiss population on current social issues. From the worry barometer to opinions on social justice, integration and education – discover how the social views and priorities of the Swiss have changed over time.

Monitor Nutrition and Physical Activity 2022

Self-realisation of nutritional issues in the foreground – interest in and discussion about nutrition and exercise are fading into the background

The carefree years are over: After nutrition and exercise were primarily about self-realisation and often self-expression until the end of the 2010s, the focus is now shifting back to ensuring the elementary: The coronavirus pandemic and, more recently, the war in Ukraine have brought safety, costs and supply to the forefront, including in relation to nutrition.

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The mental health of the Swiss population (August 2022)

A clear majority of the Swiss resident population aged 16 and over report low or moderate mental stress (60%). They more often feel calm or happy and less often depressed, upset or nervous. 28 per cent report a low level of stress and 32 per cent a medium level. On the other hand, around 40 per cent of the population report high or very high levels of stress (40%). They are less often calm or happy and more often depressed, upset or nervous. In this group, 31 per cent reported a high level of stress and 9 per cent a very high level of psychological stress in the last four weeks.

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Worry barometer 2022

Helvetic solo effort or European alliance: at 39 per cent, the biggest concern of the Swiss in 2022 is environmental protection / climate change. This is the first time since the very first edition of the Worry Barometer in 1976 that environmental concerns have topped the list of worries among the country’s voters. In second place is old-age provision, which was counted almost as frequently among the country’s five biggest problems at 37 per cent.

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Perception of sexual relationships and violence (April 2022)

The Swiss population perceives the consent solution as the best protection against sexualised violence. When Swiss residents are asked what best protects those affected by sexualised violence, the decision is very clearly in favour of the consent solution (“Only yes means yes”). In comparison, the current principle of coercion as well as the rejection solution (“No means no”), which are being discussed as an alternative to the consent solution, are not favoured by large sections of the population.

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Monitor Nutrition and Physical Activity 2023

When it comes to food, the Swiss want transparency – greater openness towards state regulation

The introduction of a tax on foods containing sugar, salt and fat remains a minority concern. However, the proportion of voters who can imagine such a measure in principle has clearly increased over the last 12 months. In general, the need for more public health measures appears to be increasing. In addition to a greater openness to government measures, there is also a desire for greater commitment from the business community.

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Mobility

In our cockpits on the topic of mobility, we analyse how the Swiss population views aspects such as public transport, individual mobility, eMobility, environmental concerns and the development of transport infrastructures. Discover trends and opinions on a topic that significantly influences movement and progress in our country.

TCS Travel Barometer 2022: Switzerland remains a dream destination and safety remains a key aspect

For the sixth time, the TCS Travel Barometer provides an insight into the travel behaviour of the Swiss population. This year’s representative survey of residents and TCS members shows that Switzerland is still in vogue as a dream destination, people are prepared to spend more money on their holidays and safety aspects remain central.

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TCS E-mobility Barometer 2021: Growing majority believe in the future of electric mobility

The (conventional) car will remain the most popular means of transport in 2021 in the everyday lives of Swiss residents. After an increase in car usage figures between 2019 and 2020, they remain largely constant this year. A clear increase in the proportion of people travelling by electric car. Compared to last year, this proportion has even quadrupled (from 2% to 8%). Incidentally, of these 8 per cent, 4 per cent are hybrid cars and 4 per cent are purely electric cars. This means that (motorised) private transport has been used more widely in the last two years than was the case in 2019. The use of public transport the use of public transport has decreased.

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Mobility Monitor 2023

Growing interest in transport issues – electric cars potentially more popular than combustion engines – polarised opinion on the tax on electric cars

As part of a representative survey commissioned by auto-schweiz, gfs.bern analysed the opinion and perception of the Swiss electorate on the topic of transport. In the Mobility Monitor 2023, a clear majority would opt for vehicles with at least partial electric drive when making a new purchase (62%). In particular, more people would opt for a purely electric vehicle in 2023 (29%) than for vehicles with petrol (20%) and diesel engines (6%) combined.

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TCS Travel Barometer 2023: Switzerland remains a popular travel destination

For the seventh time, the TCS Travel Barometer provides an insight into the travel behaviour of the Swiss resident population. The representative survey of residents and TCS members shows which sources of information are particularly popular, how well informed people feel about travelling, what news about travel is perceived and what the population’s perception of safety is. The long-term study commissioned by TCS Switzerland makes it possible to interpret the development of opinions on the subject of travelling not only at present, but also over time.

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TCS Travel Barometer 2021: The great desire to travel abroad remains absent

The TCS Travel Barometer provides an insight into the travel behaviour of the Swiss population. The representative survey of residents and TCS members shows which destinations are particularly popular, what news about travelling is perceived and what the population’s perception of safety is. The survey was conducted for the fifth time in 2021.

The results of the TCS Travel Barometer 2021 are based on two surveys: On the one hand, a representative sample of 1,000 Swiss residents aged 18 and over were surveyed by telephone. 20 per cent of this population survey was carried out on mobile phone numbers in accordance with the dual-frame approach. On the other hand, members of the TCS were also surveyed. A random sample of 10,000 of the total of 1.5 million TCS members was drawn and invited to take part in an online survey.

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Health and eHealth

Health is an area that the Swiss are proud of. On the one hand, they invest a great deal in their health and spend money on it accordingly. On the other hand, they are very proud to have one of the best healthcare systems in Switzerland. We also regularly survey the population on the digitalisation of the healthcare system and take the pulse of the population.

Swiss eHealth Barometer – Population open to next digitisation step in the healthcare sector (February 2024)

The eHealth Barometer has been collected and compiled as part of the Swiss eHealth Forum since 2009. Both healthcare professionals/stakeholders in the healthcare system and the resident population are surveyed. The survey analyses the current status and development of eHealth in Switzerland.

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Swiss eHealth Barometer – Majority of the population supports EPR (March 2023)

The most important findings: Data exchange and data protection are viewed more critically, value proposition stable – willingness to open and use the EPR declining.

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Cancer Care Monitor 2022 – More coordination desired

Cancer care at a high level: Even if interest in healthcare policy in Switzerland is no longer as high as in 2021, it is still at a very high level overall. Accordingly, the quality of cancer care in Switzerland is also rated as excellent. In particular, hospital care, the provision of medication and treatment and the work in early cancer detection and prevention are rated as particularly good.

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Cancer Care Monitor 2023 – Cancer patients express high satisfaction with treatment, but are often left alone emotionally

On behalf of MSD Switzerland, gfs.bern was commissioned to conduct the Cancer Care Monitor 2023. The monitoring describes the various attitudes and needs relating to cancer care in Switzerland. The personal experiences, needs and views of people affected by cancer or indirectly affected are described directly. A possible cancer initiative is also discussed. In order to gain a deeper insight into the realities of life for people affected by cancer, interviews were conducted with people who have cancer in 2023.

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Caution, but also hope, when it comes to the digitalisation of health data (December 2021)

At the end of 2021, gfs.bern conducted a representative survey of the Swiss population for the first time on behalf of KPT. The aim of this study is to explore the tension between citizens with decidedly critical attitudes towards data and consumers with a clear focus towards its benefits.

Results: The Swiss population is constantly confronted with the topic of data protection. Be it in discussions during the e-ID vote or concerns about security on the ‘meineimpfungen.ch’ platform. Although there is a lot of criticism from politicians and society in these discussions, 70 per cent of the Swiss population are very/somewhat in agreement with the electronic storage of their health data.

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