Tue, May 30th 2023
Young Swiss men and women are becoming increasingly polarized when it comes to political parties, opinions and voting trends, according to a new Sotomo research study published in NZZ am Sonntag.
Many Swiss men and women will have the chance to vote in a federal election for the first time later this year. But how they vote may be slightly different than in federal elections past, according to researchers.
Swiss men between the ages 18 and 29 identify with right-wing, conservative politics more than ever, while women in the same age group say they identify with left-wing, liberal politics more and more.
In 2010, about 35% of young Swiss women identified as left-leaning, according to Sotomo. In 2023, about 52% of young Swiss women say they are left-leaning. Meanwhile, about 29% of young men in 2010 identified with right-wing politics. Today, about 43% of young men say they identify with right-wing politics.
Sotomo researchers say that the issues Swiss voters have been voting on in recent years are what’s driving the divide among young Swiss. And the issues that create the most divide are often gendered.
During a 2021 vote banning face covering – an issue that would affect women more – about 14% more men voted in favor of the ban than women. About 17% more men than women voted to approve a free trade agreement with Indonesia; but, women were more likely to reject corporate tax reforms and changes to hunting laws.
And in one of the most hotly-contested issues in Switzerland – raising the retirement age for women from 64 to 65 – about 26% more men supported increasing the age. The proposed pension reform passed with an incredibly narrow 50.6% margin.
“Areas of tension between men and women will not simply dissolve, regardless of whether it’s about compatibility or basic values,” Sotomo researcher Michael Hermann told NZZ am Sonntag.
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