In Switzerland, it seems that rarely a day passes without news of a protest against some aspect of the government’s measures to mitigate the impacts of Covid-19. However, a recent poll by Tamedia suggests support is quietly growing for the Swiss government’s measures, which include Covid certificates.
The survey, which was run between 28 and 29 October 2021 by LeeWas on behalf of Tamedia, suggests that nearly 70% of the population supports the latest Covid-19 laws introduced by the government in March 2021, reported 24 Heures.
This rate rises to 84% among those over 65. Even among those aged 18-34, the age group with the least support, 55% are behind the rules.
Some protesting against the Covid-19 laws were surprised by the Tamedia survey results. Werner Boxler, the co-president of friends of the constitution, told 24 Heures that he could not believe that the percentage in favour of the Covid rules had risen by 6% since launching a campaign to oppose the laws. People are protesting twice a week in Bern and being heard more and more, he said.
When viewed along political party lines support ranges from 86% (Greens) to 37% (UDC/SVP). However, UDC/SVP party members are an outlier. They are the only group showing a majority against (60%) the rules. The Socialists (84%), Centre (81%), Liberal Greens (80%) and PLR/FDP (78%) all show majorities favouring Switzerland’s Covid laws.
The UDC/SVP appears to have taken its own path on its political stance towards Covid-19. It is the only major political party in Switzerland that has decided not to encourage the population to get vaccinated, reported 20 Minutes. But with 52% of the party’s members either opposed to (48%) or holding off on (4%) vaccination, promoting Covid-19 shots could have a political cost – see poll here.
In September 2021, Ueli Maurer, a UDC/SVP member and Federal Councillor posed for photographs with the Freiheitstrychler, a group actively opposed to elements of the government’s response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Last week in an interview with the newspaper Le Nouvelliste, a senior member of the UDC/SVP voiced support for conspiracy theories. He claims that Covid-19 is a man made biological weapon with 73 patent applications and that the US election last year was rigged and Donald Trump is the true US president.
The LeeWas survey was run from 28 to 29 October 2021 and questioned 17,223 people across Switzerland.
More on this:
24 Heures article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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