New data released by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) has revealed that negative attitudes towards foreigners are on the rise in Switzerland. In the latest “Living Together” report, the government noted that while two-thirds of residents have a positive view of immigrants, racist and xenophobic attitudes are becoming more accepted.

One-third of Swiss feel uneasy around foreigners, FSO finds

According to the data, around 90 percent of Swiss citizens have frequent contact with someone with a different nationality, religion or skin colour from their own - perhaps not surprising given around a quarter of the population are either not Swiss or hold residence permits. Of those who do have contact with internationals, two-thirds said they had a positive view of their interactions.

However, while openness is in the majority, a third of respondents still reported feeling uneasy or disturbed by foreigners. What’s more, while xenophobic attitudes had been on the decline in Switzerland, the view has become more acceptable since the start of the COVID pandemic.

“The results of the various indicators and indices show a break in the trend towards more openness observed from 2016 to 2020. Negative attitudes are increasing, particularly towards foreign, Jewish and Muslim people,” the FSO wrote. 

Xenophobic attitudes becoming more accepted

The FSO estimates that 27 percent of the population experienced discrimination in 2024. Half of the victims cited their nationality as the reason for discrimination, followed by language. Most forms of discrimination manifest as exclusion or a lack of consideration for the person, followed by mockery, verbal violence and threats.

On a scale of one to four - where one is a rejection of xenophobic attitudes while four is complete approval - adopting a xenophobic attitude has become more accepted, going from 2,1 in 2020 to 2,3 in 2024. Hostile attitudes toward foreigners have also become more accepted, but still aren't held by the majority.

Racist incidents becoming more visible in Switzerland

While a majority report a positive experience of living in Switzerland, the government’s findings will ring true for many. In the latest Expat Insider survey from InterNations, fitting in, being accepted and making local friends were the main complaints internationals had about life in the alpine nation.

More seriously, the number of racist incidents reported to the authorities is also on the rise. In February 2024, a mountain restaurant in the ski resort of Davos was condemned for refusing to rent sports equipment to Jewish people, while in April, several expats were sent fake deportation letters.

If you feel like you have been the victim of racism or discrimination, please see the Reporting Platform for Racist Hate Speech. Along with allowing you to report online incidents, the page also contains links to various organisations that will be able to provide specialist advice.

Thumb image credit: Alex Linch / Shutterstock.com