Switzerland

Switzerland performs well in international comparison (rank 8) in the category of vertical accountability.

Registration procedures for candidates and political parties are transparent and fair. Party financing regulations have been made more transparent. Party income and donations must be disclosed annually, and funding is monitored by the Federal Audit Office. There is no gerrymandering, but smaller electoral districts can disadvantage small parties.

Elections are free and fair, conducted in an impartial and nondiscriminatory manner. Voter turnout rates are comparatively low, perhaps due to election fatigue. Noncitizens, who cannot vote, make up about 25% of the population.

Parties are ideologically distinct. Swiss consensus democracy ensures strong cross-party cooperation. However, polarization has increased in past decades, hindering cooperation between elites especially on issues relating to migration and international openness. Freedom of information rules and practices are well developed.

Switzerland performs relatively well (rank 5) in the category of vertical accountability.

Public and private media are free from government influence. Journalists can be imprisoned for using information that violates bank secrecy regulations, even when reporting on illegal activities. The state provides widespread media subsidies. The most important broadcast media are public. Regional newspapers are being crowded out by free commuter newspapers.

Some major media have specific political orientations. Political rights are strongly protected, although human rights groups have raised concerns about surveillance powers. Interest organizations are strongly integrated into policymaking. Trade unions are the junior partners, with the main axis of influence constituted by employers’ organizations and the state.

Social welfare organizations, like all groups, can influence policy via the direct democracy system, triggering a referendum or proposing an initiative. Environmental groups have similarly broad access to the political system, but limited influence, as climate-change policy is strongly influence by industry.

In the category of horizontal accountability, Switzerland performs well in international comparison (rank 6).

The Federal Audit Office acts independently, especially in politically controversial cases. The Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner oversees data processing by the federal administration and private firms.

The judicial system operates without political interference, though practices vary between cantons. Federal Supreme Court judges are elected by parliamentary vote. Members are typically distributed proportionately by party, and judges voluntarily give part of their salary to their affiliated party. This has raised concerns about objectivity.

Direct-democracy initiatives have at times come into conflict with human rights principles. Corruption is rare, but some scandals have emerged. The “militia” legislature is not professionalized, with legislators serving alongside their regular jobs. Resources are limited in international comparison, but overall powers to monitor the executive are sufficient.

In the category of coordination, Switzerland falls into the sample’s upper-middle ranks (rank 12).

The Swiss political system lacks a prime minister. The Federal Council is a collegial body of seven ministries, each with broad areas of responsibility. Decision-making is usually based on consensus. Ministers must support decisions even if they differ personally or politically.

Ministries, called federal departments, engage in a formal process of consultation when drafting proposals. and the Federal Chancellery and Federal Council provide political coordination. Informal mechanisms such as ad hoc meetings, personal networks and behind-the-scenes negotiations complement formal structures.

Under the country’s highly decentralized systems, self-governing cantons and municipalities enjoy substantial autonomy. Few standards exist; it is up to the cantons and municipalities to decide what public services they want to offer, to what extent and at what level of quality. The three federal layers engage in close contact, but cantons insist on their discretionary autonomy.

Switzerland falls among the top ranks internationally (rank 4) in the category of consensus-building.

Drawing lessons from the COVID-19 crisis, the government has taken steps to integrate scientific expertise more readily into policymaking during crises. This has included the creation of ad hoc scientific advisory groups and the establishment of crisis-preparation clusters in areas like cybersecurity and public health.

Policymaking in Switzerland has historically involved robust public consultation with interest groups. Business groups have generally had more influence than trade unions. The process involves numerous pre-parliamentary procedures and committees focused on consultation with various societal groups.

Social welfare and environmental groups have traditionally had less influence, but are increasingly being integrated into consultation procedures. Open data policies are robust, with a large body of qualitative and quantitative data available online.

Switzerland falls into the sample’s middle ranks (rank 14) in the category of sensemaking.

Strategic planning is not strongly prioritized due to the country’s nonprofessional element, collegial government and the uncertainty stemming from the direct democracy system. The weak federal state also contributes. The Federal Council rarely presents or implements forward-looking strategic management plans with clear priorities.

No formal institution is responsible for ex ante impact assessment. In some ministries, individual units occasionally perform systematic ex ante impact assessments. Expert commissions that draft laws examine potential impacts, benefits and problems, and the consultation procedures allows stakeholders to comment on proposed laws.

Sustainability checks are conducted within this framework, but are used in only a few departments. Ex post evaluation is a much more developed practice. These evaluations are most established in the fields of development cooperation, public health, education and economic policy.

Switzerland falls into the sample’s top ranks (rank 4) in the category of economic sustainability.

The country does not have a policy explicitly targeting a circular economy. A national critical infrastructure protection plan is in place, but the country’s electrical power system relies on cooperation with EU. Climate policy has been complicated by a public referendum that rejected emissions-reduction targets.

The vocational training system is strong, and short-time work programs provide flexibility during crises. Authorities support various active labor market policy measures. Tax rates are moderate, especially for firms, and vary by canton. Some cantons offer tax advantages to certain firms and wealthy foreigners. The redistributive effect is low.

Budget policy is highly sustainable, with federal budget deficits rare. The overall public debt is around 28% of GDP, with federal debt at about 16%. The country spends highly on R&D. Banking secrecy laws were reformed after international criticism, allowing for international exchange of information by 2017.

In the category of social sustainability, Switzerland falls into the middle ranks internationally (rank 17).

Education is decentralized, managed by the cantons and municipalities. The quality of teaching is high, with a particularly strong vocational training tradition that contributes to low levels of youth unemployment. However, the overall system discriminates against students from low-status families.

Social assistance is also decentralized, with significant regional differences in support programs. Health insurance is mandatory. Premiums are high and not based on income, but low-wage earners. Quality is outstanding, but rising costs are an issue. The gender wage gap remains a significant issue. The old-age poverty rate is above the OECD average.

Family policy is underdeveloped. Parental leave polices are not generous, and there is a lack of affordable public services for childcare. The economy relies heavily on immigrants, especially those with high skills, but canton-based integration policies are not broadly successful. The major right-wing party engages in anti-immigration rhetoric.

Switzerland performs well in international comparison (rank 8) in the category of environmental sustainability.

The country’s climate-change has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 compared to 1990, but missed its 2020 goal of a 20% reduction. The rejection of a CO2 emissions-reduction law in a public vote in 2021 pushed climate-change mitigation efforts backward.

The Health 2030 agenda addresses environmental health risks, including air and water pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change. A strategy aimed at safeguarding ecosystem vitality and preventing biodiversity loss is partially binding. The public recently rejected initiatives related to reducing pesticide use and protecting water quality.

Global environmental policy is given moderate weight among Switzerland’s foreign policy priorities. However, the country’s impact in this area depends largely on efficient collaboration with the European Union.