Two-thirds of the Swiss believe that the real stakes of the referendum on November 29th went beyond whether the country would have more minarets than the already existing four. The referendum's unspoken stakes were a fear of "Islam" and the "Islamization of Switzerland".
According to survey results, the Swiss public prides itself on religious freedom in the country, viewing it as a central value and an important part of Swiss identity. Two thirds of those who voted to ban the construction of minarets see no contradiction between the ban on building minarets at places of worship and the principle of religious freedom as an element of Swiss identity.
When asked about individual Muslims, the overwhelming majority share the view that Muslims living in Switzerland can be good Swiss patriots. The concern is more about Switzerland's continued ability to maintain liberal democracy. About 4 in 10 see an irresolvable contradiction between the values of liberal democracy and Islam.
While over half of the population believes that the outcome of the referendum will influence the ability of Switzerland to uphold the values of liberal democracy, only one third of respondents think that the Swiss Muslim Community has reason to believe that they have been discriminated against.
Background
On November 29th, 2009, Switzerland held a referendum on a constitutional amendment banning the construction of new minarets in Switzerland. With a 53.4% voter turnout, the ban was approved by a 57.5% majority. In 2009, there were an estimated 400,000 Muslims living in Switzerland, accounting for around 5% of the total population. Close to 90% of Muslims living in Switzerland have immigrated since 1980, the majority from the former Yugoslavia (56%) and Turkey (20%). After Christianity Islam is the second largest religion in Switzerland. There are currently around 150 mosques in Switzerland only four have minarets; these are not affected by the ban.
The referendum, supported by the Swiss People's Party and the Federal Democratic Union, stirred great controversy in Switzerland. The campaign sparked debates about immigration, Swiss identity and national traditions, as well as about Islam in general and "Islam's treatment of women" in particular. It also raised concerns about Switzerland's international image. Swiss foreign minister Micheline Carly-Rey expressed concern that the ban would "make Switzerland a target of Islamic terrorism", while Swiss business leaders worried about a reaction against Swiss products similar to that suffered by Denmark following the publication of the prophet Muhammad cartoons in 2005. Swiss political commentators suggested that the vote on minarets was influenced by Swiss resentment over the way Libya, one of Switzerland's largest oil suppliers, treated two Swiss businessmen found to be in violation of Libyan residency laws.
Gallup conducted a survey in December, 2009 in Switzerland among a representative sample of the Swiss population, as part of the European section of the Gallup World Poll. The survey looked at several aspects of the debate and found that the Swiss public was in general agreement on some questions but divided on others. For the latter, the split was not only between Christians and Muslims but also among those who considered religion to be an important part of their daily lives versus those who did not.
What is the real question behind the referendum?
In contrast to the wide-ranging debate surrounding the referendum, voters were presented with a simple addendum to the constitution: the building of minarets is prohibited: "yes" "no". The survey's open-ended question asked respondents what they understood as the real issues behind the referendum. A third (35%) said the referendum was about "building" or "constructing" "minarets." Nearly two thirds (65%), however, said there were other issues at play. The most frequently mentioned ones were "fear" of "Islam" "Muslims" or "fear of immigrants" (14% mentioned these specifically) and "Islamization" or "Muslims" in Switzerland (mentioned by 11%).
| Could you please tell me in a little more detail what you understand the real issues were behind the November 29 referendum on minarets? Open ended, answers recorded verbatim. Most common responses: | |
| Building/constructing minarets | 35% |
| Fear/ fear of Islam/fear of Muslims/fear of immigrants | 14% |
| Islamization of Switzerland/ Muslims in Switzerland | 11% |
| 2009 GALLUP | |
The survey asked respondents whether or not they thought it possible for a Muslim to be a good Swiss patriot. There was general agreement among the Swiss on this question: an overwhelming majority --85%-- said that it was possible for a Muslim to be a good Swiss patriot. Those who voted to reject the ban on minarets were even more likely to agree (95%). Muslim respondents were unanimous in their opinion: 100% believed that a Muslim could be a good Swiss patriot. Those who said "religion was not an important part of their daily lives" were also more likely to agree (87% vs. 82%).
| Do you think it is possible for a Muslim to be a good Swiss patriot? | |
| Yes | 85% |
| No | 11% |
| DK/NA | 4% |
| 2009 GALLUP | |
Religious freedom and Swiss identity?
The survey asked respondents about the importance of religious freedom for Swiss identity. Overall, 3 in 4 respondents (75%) said religious freedom was an important part of Swiss identity, while less than 1 in 10 (8%) said that it was not. Even a majority of those who voted to ban minaret construction said that religious freedom was an important part of Swiss identity: two thirds (67%) agreed. Muslim respondents and those who voted against the ban were more likely to say that religious freedom was important to Swiss identity (83% and 87%, respectively). Those who said religion was an important part of their daily lives were also more likely to say that religious freedom was important to Swiss identity: 82% vs. 71% of those for whom religion was not an important part of daily life.
| On a 1-5 scale, with 5 being "very important" and 1 being "Not important at all" how important do you think religious freedom is for Swiss identity? | |
| 1 (not important at all) | 4 % |
| 2 | 4 % |
| 3 | 15 % |
| 4 | 25 % |
| 5 (very important) | 50 % |
| DK/NA | 2 % |
| 2009 GALLUP | |
Modern liberal democracy and Islam in Europe
The Swiss public was more divided on whether or not there was an irresolvable contradiction between liberal democracy and Islam. Nearly half of the Swiss (48%) said they "rather disagreed" that such an irresolvable contradiction existed, while nearly 4 in 10 (38%) said they "rather agreed". While 1 in 4 Christians (38%) rather agreed that there was in irresolvable contradiction between the values of liberal democracy and Islam, two thirds of Muslims (68%) rather disagreed. Those for whom religion was not an important part of daily life were less likely to say that there was an irresolvable contradiction between liberal democracy and Islam than those for whom religion was an important part of daily life (44% vs 51% respectively.)| Some people believe there is an irresolvable contradiction between liberal democracy and Islam. Would you rather say you agree or disagree? | |
| Rather agree | 38 % |
| Rather disagree | 48 % |
| DK/NA | 14 % |
| 2009 GALLUP | |
The survey went on to ask respondents about the impact of the referendum in Switzerland and abroad. In reference to the concerns voiced by Muslim organizations about the freedom of religious worship in the wake of the referendum, the survey asked respondents whether they felt that the Swiss Muslim community had reason to believe they had been discriminated against, and how the referendum would impact Switzerland's ability to uphold the values of liberal democracy in Switzerland.
The referendum's impact on liberal democracy in Switzerland
The survey asked respondents how the referendum impacted on Switzerland's ability to uphold the values of liberal democracy. (Do you think the November 29 referendum on minarets furthered, damaged, or had no impact on Switzerland's ability to uphold the values of liberal democracy in Switzerland?) 4 in 10 (39%) said that the referendum damaged Switzerland's ability to uphold the values of liberal democracy, while only 1 in 5 (20%) believed that it furthered it. A third (32%) thought it had no impact. Muslims were more likely than Christians to say that the referendum damaged the ability of Switzerland to uphold the values of liberal democracy (48% vs. 37% of Christians). Those for whom religion was not an important part of daily life were more likely to think that the referendum on minarets damaged Switzerland's ability to uphold the values of liberal democracy: 43% versus 33% of those for whom religion was important.
| Do you think that the November 29 referendum on minarets furthered, damaged, or had no impact on Switzerland's ability to uphold the values of liberal democracy in Switzerland? | |
| Furthered | 20 % |
| Damaged | 39 % |
| Had no impact | 32 % |
| DK/NA | 10 % |
| 2009 GALLUP | |
Are Muslims discriminated against on the basis of religion?
Overall, a majority of two thirds (67%) of the Swiss public said they did not think the Swiss Muslim community had reason to believe they had been discriminated against by the referendum. Only a third of the Swiss, (30%) thought that the Swiss Muslim community had reason to believe they had been discriminated against. Among Muslims, the ratio was reversed. While 7 in 10 Christians (70%) thought that the Muslim community had no reason to believe they had been discriminated against, 7 in 10 Muslims (70%) thought the opposite.
| In the wake of the November 29 referendum on minarets, Swiss Muslim organizations have voiced their concerns about their freedom of religious worship. Do you think that the Swiss Muslim community has reason to believe they have been discriminated against? | |
| Yes | 30 % |
| No | 67 % |
| DK/NA | 4 % |
| 2009 GALLUP | |
International reactions and Switzerland's reputation
The survey asked respondents about how they thought the vote would affect Switzerland's reputation in the international community. Respondents were asked whether, in their opinion, certain beliefs about Switzerland, including its reputation as a haven for tax evaders and as a country willing to infringe on the rights of its Muslim minority, harmed the country's international reputation. On the issue of the referendum's impact on Switzerland's international reputation, the public was divided. Nearly 4 in 10 (38%) said that the referendum would not harm Switzerland's reputation, a third (34%) said that it would in fact harm it, and 29% said it would have no impact. Interestingly, the Swiss were more concerned about Switzerland's reputation as a haven for tax evaders (43% said this harmed the country's reputation) than about the message sent by the referendum on minarets. Muslims, young people, women, and those for whom religion was not of daily importance were more likely to say that the referendum harmed Switzerland's international reputation. (42% of Muslims vs. 33% of Christians, 38% of those under the age of 30 versus 32% of those over 30 years of age; 37% of women vs. 30% of men, and 36% of non-religious vs. 29% of religious.)
| In recent years, several issues surfaced that have harmed Switzerland's reputation in the international community. On a 1-5 scale, where 5 means "harmed a lot" and 1 means "did not harm at all" how much do you think the following beliefs harm Switzerland's international reputation? | ||
| Switzerland being seen as a haven for tax evaders | Switzerland being seen as willing to infringe on the rights of its Muslim minority in the wake of last week's referendum on minarets. | |
| 1 (did not harm at all) | 15% | 22% |
| 2 | 14% | 16% |
| 3 | 29% | 29% |
| 4 | 22% | 22% |
| 5 (harmed a lot) | 21% | 21% |
| 2009 GALLUP | ||
In the survey, 62% said they had voted (official turnout was 53%). When it came to voting behaviour, those for whom religion was not an important part of daily life were more likely to say that they voted: 65% said they voted versus 56% of those for whom religion was important.
| Did you vote in the November 29 referendum on minarets? | |
| Yes | 62 % |
| No | 37 % |
| DK/NA | 1 % |
| 2009 GALLUP | |
When asked about how they had voted, only 45% said that they voted in favour of the ban, while 43% said they voted against it, 3.2% said they voted blank and 8.6% said they did not know or preferred not to give an answer. (The official results were 57.5% in favour of the ban, 42.5% against the ban).
While 54% of men said they voted yes, only 35% of women said they voted in favour of the ban; a higher percentage of women (48% of women vs. 39% of men) also said that they voted to reject the ban. However, women were twice as likely to not give an answer to the question on how they voted: 12% of women vs. 6% of men.
Those for whom religion was not an important part of daily life were much more likely to say they voted "no" on the referendum 46% vs. 38%. Although only 45% of those for whom religion was an important part of daily life said they voted "yes" a large percentage, 14% did not say how they voted.
| How did you vote in the November 29 referendum on minarets? | |
| Yes | 45 % |
| No | 43 % |
| Voted blank | 3 % |
| DK/NA | 9 % |
| 2009 GALLUP | |
Research background
Results are based on telephone interviews conducted in Switzerland in December 2009 with approximately 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older. The framework of the survey was the European section of the Gallup World Poll project. The Gallup World Poll continually surveys residents in more than 140 countries, representing 95% of the world's adult population, using randomly selected, nationally representative samples. Gallup typically surveys 1,000 individuals in each country, using a standard set of core questions translated into the major languages of the respective country.
Interviews were conducted in 3 languages. The sample consists of a population size proportion of the regional and urban / rural distributions and is representative of Swiss society in terms of age, gender and education. Fieldwork lasted from 02/12/2009 to 18/12/2009.
