Relative majority against environmental responsibility initiative according to survey
Published: Friday, Dec 20th 2024, 07:20
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According to an SRG survey conducted around seven weeks before the vote in February, the Young Greens' environmental responsibility initiative would have been rejected by a relative majority. 49 percent of voters would have definitely or rather voted against it. The gender gap is striking.
Almost two thirds of those willing to participate already expressed a firm intention to vote at this early stage and only 6% were completely undecided, as SRG reported on Friday on the first wave of the SRG trend survey in the run-up to the vote on February 9. The level of opinion formation is medium advanced. At 35%, voter turnout was well below the long-term average.
The gender gap was striking: 56% of women agreed, but only 37% were definitely in favor; 59% of men were against it. Regionally, support was higher in French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland (55%) than in German-speaking Switzerland (52%). There, 52 percent were against it. Approval also decreases with rising income and increases with the level of education.
The prognosis was clear: 81% of respondents expected a rejection and only 19% an acceptance. The average "yes" rating was estimated at 42%.
Two thirds of those willing to participate agreed in principle that resources and livelihoods could soon be exhausted. Over two thirds were of the opinion that Switzerland should not only reduce its environmental impact at home. It should also take responsibility for ecological damage abroad.
Fear of rising prices
Two thirds of respondents also feared disadvantages such as rising prices if the initiative were implemented. 65 percent considered it risky to burden the Swiss economy with bans, as this could weaken the country as a business location, according to the report. In addition, two thirds were of the opinion that the initiative would force people to make sacrifices and massively restrict their accustomed standard of living.
On February 9, 2025, voters will decide on the popular initiative "For a responsible economy within planetary boundaries (environmental responsibility initiative)". The Young Greens' petition for a referendum was submitted in February 2023. The initiators are calling for a constitutional article that puts environmental protection first. In addition, Switzerland's environmental impact should be reduced in such a way that the planet's carrying capacity is respected. The Federal Council and Parliament rejected the initiative.
For the first wave of the SRG SSR trend survey on the referendum, the JRC Bern research institute interviewed 18,845 voters throughout Switzerland from December 2 to 16. The statistical margin of error is +/-2.8 percentage points.
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