Swissness in Transition: Why Swiss Consensus Democracy Needs Bold Reforms Now

The growing disinterest in political participation is often put into perspective in Switzerland by the high number of opportunities for participation. Since the 1990s, national participation has remained stable. At the municipal level, however, the consequences have become increasingly noticeable. It is becoming more difficult to find candidates for political office as evidenced by the rising number of municipal mergers. In addition, new, non-traditional forms of participation point to growing dissatisfaction and criticism of the effectiveness of established forms of politics. According to the KOF Globalisation Index, Switzerland has consistently ranked among the five most globalised countries since 1970. In 2021, it even took first place.

However, in order to remain competitive, Switzerland has become increasingly dependent on close relations with other countries and supranational organisations such as the EU. This, however, conflicts to a certain extent with its claim to neutrality and independence. This contradiction accentuates existing lines of conflict and growing polarisation in the political landscape.

The Swiss party system, with parties on the left, centre-right and right, is now similar to the political landscape of many other Western European democracies. The political centre is losing ground, and by 1991 the combined share of the vote for the two polarised parties in the National Council had already exceeded the 50 per cent mark. At the same time, conciliation conferences, popular initiatives and optional referendums are on the rise. Although polarisation is a global trend among liberal democracies, it poses particular challenges for Switzerland’s entire political system which is based on the search for consensus. Direct democratic instruments reinforce polarisation, as actors increasingly seek to use them to put their traditionally radical demands on the agenda. The Swiss model is thus disproportionately affected by political alienation and polarisation. These factors render the political system increasingly cumbersome and place pressure on institutional structures to reform.

Need for Institutional Reform
Even if political alienation appears less acute in Switzerland, targeted countermeasures are needed as alienation encourages non-traditional forms of participation and exacerbates the overall problem. Neutral organisations are needed to combat fake news and initiate innovative forms of political participation. Regarding Europe and international interdependence, the national executive branch should be strengthened so that it can act more strategically in foreign policy. A shift of power in favour of the executive branch and a reorganisation of the federal government could also counteract polarisation. Since the Federal Constitution of 1848, the institutional structure of the Federal Council has hardly changed, even though its tasks have increased significantly.

A more even distribution of federal offices among the departments or an increase in the number of Federal Council members are often discussed as reform proposals for greater balance. More radical proposals call for a rethink of the magic formula for the government composition so that political discourse is less dominated by the polarised parties. Direct democratic instruments would continue to prevent Switzerland from sliding into a classic government-opposition system, but political capacity to act could be significantly increased. The hitherto hesitant efforts to achieve transparency in party financing also deserve to be pursued consistently.

It is also important to further develop ideas for public party financing that would enable the professionalisation of politics. These ideas would strengthen trust in politics and counteract alienation and polarisation. Education in general and political education in particular remain essential. Only in this way can citizens who are prepared for discourse and willing to compromise, be empowered to take on responsibility.

Time for Decisions
Global changes make it clear that Swiss politics must evolve. Problem areas and options for action have long been recognized and are hardly disputed among experts. Politicians in positions of responsibility are called upon to put their own agendas behind the common interests of our consensus-based democracy.

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This text reflects the opinion of the author and not that of the HSG. It is inspired by and based on the article by Rahel Freiburghaus & Sean Mueller (2023). Switzerland, Quo Vadis? Current Challenges and Potential Solutions for Swiss Politics in The Oxford Handbook of Swiss Politics (1st ed., pp. 773–794). Edited by P. Emmenegger, F. Fossati, S. Häusermann, Y. Papadopoulos, P. Sciarini, & A. Vatter. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780192871787.013.40