Confidence in security bodies high
The Swiss electorate is pessimistic about the global political situation. The perception of security has declined significantly and the population is more pessimistic about the future of Switzerland than in the previous year. Trust in authorities and institutions, especially in security-generating bodies such as the police, the courts and the army, has risen and is above average, as the DDPS writes.
According to the survey published by the Military Academy at ETH Zurich and the Center for Security Studies (CSS), the Swiss value Study (*) are significantly more pessimistic about the global political situation in the next five years than in 2015 (74%, +20%). The proportion who are optimistic about the global political situation has fallen significantly (25%, -20%). The current assessment of the global political situation is more pessimistic than ever before.
Less safe
86% (-5%) of the Swiss say they feel safe and 75% (-4%) are confident about Switzerland's near future. Both the general perception of security and the assessment of Switzerland's near future have fallen significantly compared with the previous year.
Authorities enjoy trust
Trust in institutions and authorities is above the long-term average this year (2016: 6.6 on a scale of 10, long-term average 6.3). Trust in the police (7.9, +0.2) continues to have the highest value, followed by trust in the courts (7.3, +0.1). In third place is the Federal Council with 7.0 (±0.0). The Swiss economy (6.8, ±0.0), the armed forces (6.7, +0.2) and the Swiss parliament (6.5, +0.1) occupy the middle positions. The lowest levels of trust continue to be placed in the political parties (5.3, ±0.0) and the media (5.1, -0.2). Compared with 2015, trust in the police, courts and army has increased significantly, while trust in the media has decreased.
Focused on safety
The collection of data on suspicious persons (87%; +7% compared with 2012), the deployment of the army to safeguard peace and order if the police are overstretched (87%; +10% compared with 2013) and the increase in police personnel (82%; +24% compared with 2003) are strongly supported by the electorate in 2016. In addition, 87% of the Swiss believe that it is "important for our security that we fight terrorism more strongly than we have done so far." The view that "it is important for our security that we fight terrorism by all means, even if this means restricting our personal freedom" is supported by a majority and currently reaches the same value as in 2013 (66%). It is also apparent that the Swiss electorate gives security slightly greater priority over freedom than was the case in previous surveys.
Neutral and less ready to open
Maintaining neutrality is very strongly supported in 2016. 95% (±0%) are behind this principle. In 2016, the Swiss population showed less willingness to open up. Support for joining NATO (22%, -3%) and for joining the EU (16%, -5%) has declined and remains clearly in the minority range. Support for economic cooperation with the EU remains very high (81%, ±0%).
Army Friendly
The positive opinion of the armed forces continued in 2016. Significantly more Swiss people affirm the necessity of the army than in the previous year (84%, +4%). For 46% (+4%) of the Swiss, the military plays a central role in Swiss life. A majority of 57% (-1%) of all respondents support the militia army in 2016. The performance of the army is rated as good overall (6.5, on a scale of 1-10). The majority of the population believes that the level of current defense spending is just right (48%, +1%) or even too low (14%, -2%).
(*) The representative data collection for the "Security 2016" study was conducted by telephone between January 4 and January 23 among 1211 voters in all language regions of Switzerland. The survey was conducted by the Link research institute. The sampling error is ±2.9%.
Source: DDPS media release
