Political configuration
Political opinions

Political opinions in Switzerland - By political orientation 2006

Definitions/Comments: Political orientation: Self-evaluation on a scale from 0 (left) to 10 (right): left: values 0–3; right: values 7–10.

Question wording:  ‘A number of political goals are questioned. I would be interested to hear your opinion on some of them. Are you in favour of Switzerland having a strong army or for Switzerland not having an army? Are you in favour of a diminution or in favour of an increase of the Confederation social spendings? Are you in favour of Switzerland joining the European Union or are you in favour of Switzerland staying outside of the European Union? Are you in favour of Switzerland offering foreigners the same opportunities as those offered to Swiss citizens, or in favour of Switzerland offering Swiss citizens better opportunities? Are you in favour of Switzerland being more concerned with protection of the environment than with economic growth, or in favour of Switzerland being more concerned with economic growth than with protection of the environment? Are you in favour of an increase or in favour of a decrease of the tax on high incomes? Are you in favour of Switzerland having nuclear energy, or are you in favour of Switzerland not having nuclear energy?’

Answer categories: Percentages correspond to respondents who are in for/against a goal: Army: ‘strong army’,  ‘neither’,  ‘no army’; Social spendings:  ‘in favour of a diminution’,  ‘neither’,  ‘in favour of an increase’; Joining the EU:  ‘in favour of joining the EU’,  ‘neither’,  ‘in favour of staying outside the EU’; Chances for foreigners:  ‘in favour of equality of opportunities’,  ‘neither’,  ‘in favour of better opportunities for Swiss citizens’; Environmental protection:  ‘in favour of stronger protection of the environment’, ‘neither’,  ‘in favour of stronger economic growth’; Taxes on high income:  ‘in favour of an increase’  ‘neither ‘,  ‘in favour of a decrease’; Nuclear energy:  ‘in favour of Switzerland having nuclear energy’,  ‘neither’,  ‘in favour of Switzerland not having nuclear energy’.

Sample size: Swiss Household Panel 2006 (only refreshment sample): 2747; weighted data.

Source: Swiss Household Panel 2006.

Data for the indicator or in excel.

Description and explanation in the corresponding chapter of the Social Report 2008.