Rejection much higher among men Voters do not want to be restricted by environmental issues

SDA

10.2.2025 - 06:20

The Swiss do not want to be restricted by environmental protection. According to a post-vote survey, rejection of the environmental responsibility initiative was significantly higher among men than among women.

Keystone-SDA

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  • The Swiss do not want to be restricted by environmental protection.
  • According to a post-vote survey, the rejection of the environmental responsibility initiative was much more pronounced among men than among women.
  • However, the clear "no" vote was shared by almost all population groups, as the follow-up survey also revealed.
  • Whether rural or urban, young or old, high or low income: they all voted clearly against the initiative.

For 79 percent of men, the feared restrictions of the initiative were unacceptable, according to the supplementary survey to the post-vote survey published on Monday by the Leewas Institute on behalf of "20 Minuten" and Tamedia. Among women, only 61 percent voted no. Overall, 69.8 percent voted no in the referendum on Sunday.

The Young Greens' initiative aimed to preserve and protect the basis of life. Only as many resources should have been used for economic activities and consumption as nature itself could replace. This would have required a radical change.

The clear "no" vote is shared by almost all population groups, as the follow-up survey also revealed. Whether rural or urban, young or old, high-income or low-income, they all voted clearly against the initiative.

Most support from the Greens

At 42%, the Young Greens' proposal was most popular among academics with a university or university of applied sciences degree. The initiative only received 22% support from people with a vocational apprenticeship or a commercial diploma.

Magdalena Erni, Co-President of the Young Greens Switzerland (r.), and Lisa Mazzone, President of the Greens Switzerland (l.) during interviews in Bern on Sunday.
Magdalena Erni, Co-President of the Young Greens Switzerland (r.), and Lisa Mazzone, President of the Greens Switzerland (l.) during interviews in Bern on Sunday.
Picture: Keystone/Peter Klaunzer

In terms of party sympathy, the environmental issue received the most support from the Greens (75 percent). The SP was also open (62 percent). The GLP, on the other hand, was dominated by rejection (60 percent no votes). The FDP and SVP were the most clearly opposed to the initiative with 92% and 93% of votes against.

According to the study, 73% of people aged 50 and over voted no, compared to 64% of young voters aged between 18 and 34. Almost the same number of voters living in the city rejected the initiative (63%). In rural areas, the "no" vote was even stronger at 74%.

A total of 16,711 people took part in the online survey from February 6 to 9. The margin of error is 2 percentage points.