Public Opinion on European Integration in Switzerland: Understanding Differences Between Native Swiss and Foreign-Born Swiss Residents

Public opinion on European integration is widely recognised as a key factor shaping Switzerland’s relationship with the European Union (EU). Yet little is known about how attitudes differ between native Swiss and foreign-born Swiss residents, despite the latter constituting a substantial share of the population and being insufficiently considered in public opinion research. In order to investigate the underlying mechanisms and meanings that shape public opinion on European integration in Switzerland, this master thesis is based on a small-N study comprising 16 semi-structured interviews collected using quota sampling in German-speaking Switzerland. Contrary to initial expectations, the results show that foreign-born Swiss residents are more sceptical towards European integration than native Swiss. Public opinion among both native and foreign-born Swiss residents is shaped less by cost-benefit analysis than by identity- and comparison-based arguments. Opposition against further European integration is primarily driven by concerns over direct democracy, sovereignty, neutrality, and Switzerland’s economic prosperity. Foreign-born Swiss residents’ stronger scepticism may reflect satisfaction with Swiss status quo, the purpose and background of their migration, or negative experiences in some EU member states, whereas native Swiss evaluate integration more abstractly, which may account for their relative openness. These findings highlight the need for further theory-building research and large-scale studies to assess whether these patterns extend beyond German-speaking Switzerland to other national and European contexts.