Safety" study: no significant gains in confidence
The "Security" survey was conducted again this year. Numerous people were surveyed on foreign, security and defense policy issues. In 2020, for the first time since 2009, no significant gain in confidence was recorded for any institution.
Every year, the Military Academy (MILAK) at ETH Zurich and the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich survey around 1200 Swiss people on foreign, security and defense policy issues. In 2020, the interviews were conducted immediately before the outbreak of the COVID pandemic and show that as late as January, 95% of the Swiss felt generally safe (see current Study security). Asked about their assessment of the future for Switzerland, 86% were positive about the future, compared with 13% who gave a pessimistic forecast. The positive assessment for their own country contrasts with a pessimistic assessment of future developments in the global political situation. As in 2019, 72% of respondents assessed the global political situation as pessimistic.
High level of trust in institutions
According to the DDPS, institutions in Switzerland have enjoyed a high level of trust for years. In 2020, however, for the first time since 2009, no significant increase in trust was recorded for any institution, according to the latest study. At the top end of the scale is the police, which still has a score of 7.9 on a scale of ten, but has fallen back by a statistically significant 0.1 points. The media lost significantly: they reached a value of 5.4 (-0.4 points). The political parties are also reported to have lost trust (5.4; -0.2 points).
Reasons for and against the need for the army
According to the survey, 77% consider the Swiss Armed Forces to be necessary (2019: 79%). The first main reason given by respondents for the necessity of the army was "security of the country against the outside world" (44%). "Security within the country" would be cited by 43% as the second main reason. Breaking this reason down further, 30% cite disaster relief, 8% protection of the population and 5% support for sports and major events, according to the release. 23% would consider the army not necessary. The non-necessity of the army is mainly based on doubts about its effectiveness (44% of those who consider the army unnecessary).
High level of security policy knowledge
Another topic examined the level of knowledge of the Swiss people on topics relating to the armed forces and security policy. According to this, 45% of the respondents were able to name Federal Councillor Viola Amherd as defense minister spontaneously and without assistance. 30% knew about the current army budget (CHF 5 billion annually) and 47% of the respondents said they had already heard about the further development of the army (WEA).
Renewed survey planned after Corona pandemic
The "Security" study series has been conducted regularly since 1991. The LINK research institute collected the data for the "Security 2020" study between January 6 and 24, 2020. 1227 eligible voters from German-speaking Switzerland, French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino were interviewed by telephone. The sampling error is ±2.9%.
Due to the special circumstances caused by the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, MILAK will also conduct a follow-up survey to the "Security 2020" study in summer 2020, writes the DDPS. Selected questions from the "Security" study series will be asked again. The aim of this follow-up survey is to determine the direct and indirect effects of the Corona crisis on the attitude of the Swiss electorate in matters of security and security policy.
Reputation of the army increased
Independently of the "Security" study, research is being conducted at MILAK in the Military Sociology lectureship on the topic of "Social Media as a Communication Channel for the Swiss Armed Forces". In this study, the Swiss resident population aged 15 to 60 was surveyed in a representative online survey on the perception and evaluation of the Swiss Armed Forces. This year, the survey period fell on April 2020, exactly at the height of the Corona crisis. This can be seen as real-time feedback on the Corona operation, write those responsible.
The analysis of the responses of the 1246 respondents shows that during the Corona crisis (extraordinary situation), the Swiss Armed Forces were considered necessary by significantly more people, namely by 76% of the respondents. This corresponds to a significant increase compared to the two previous years, in which the same question was also surveyed online (2019: 66%; 2018: 64%). And, during the Corona pandemic, 82% agreed with the statement that the Swiss Armed Forces supported the civilian authorities (2019: 70%; 2018: 71%). Satisfaction with the performance of the Swiss Armed Forces is also rated significantly higher during the Corona crisis period: in 2020, 63% were satisfied with the Armed Forces, compared with 52% the previous year and 53% in 2018. Accordingly, in April 2020, 69% of the population placed high or very high trust in the Swiss Armed Forces (2019 and 2018: 61%) and 66% said the Swiss Armed Forces were held in high or very high esteem by them personally (2019: 58%; 2018: 56%).
In contrast, the Swiss resident population's agreement with the statements that the Swiss Armed Forces protect the country and its people, that the Swiss Armed Forces provide disaster relief, and that the Swiss Armed Forces make their contribution to international peacebuilding remained statistically unchanged from 2018 and 2019 to 2020.
The annual "Security" study is conducted by the Military Academy (MILAK) at ETH Zurich and the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zurich. The data collection was carried out by the LINK opinion research institute. This year, the data was collected immediately before the outbreak of the Corona pandemic in Switzerland on topics related to security and security policy. The sampling error is ±2.8%.
Source: VBS
