Survey Results 2025

This year’s survey finds that three-quarters of the Swiss population reject further reductions in Swiss development aid spending. Additionally, there is broad political consensus that Swiss development cooperation should prioritise the sectors of education, health, and food security, and primarily promote world security.

Since 2021, ETH NADEL has conducted the Swiss Panel Global Cooperation Survey to assess the Swiss public's attitudes towards development cooperation and global poverty. The 2025 report focuses on public opinion on reductions to foreign aid and military spending.

Explore all the results for 2021-2025 in an interactive dashboard here.

Most of the Swiss population rejects a cut in development cooperation

Three-quarters (77%) of Swiss residents think the level of public spending on foreign aid should remain at current levels or even increase.
When informed that, currently, foreign aid is only CHF 340 per Swiss resident, opposition to further cuts increases from 77% to 86%.
Fewer than 40% of Swiss residents support further increases in military spending.

Opposition to cuts across the political spectrum

While those who identify as politically left are more supportive of protecting aid budgets, once informed about current investments in development cooperation, even a majority of the right-leaning respondents (58%) oppose further cuts.
Whilst opposition to cuts in development cooperation spending is strong, support for increasing the aid budget has become more divisive over time; falling from 71% in 2021 to 50% in 2025.

Support for increasing aid to Ukraine at the expense of Sub-Saharan Africa is low

Of the reduced 2025 – 2028 international cooperation budget, 14% has been reserved for Ukraine.
49% of Swiss residents oppose increasing aid to Ukraine at the expense of countries in sub-Saharan Africa. 32% are indifferent, and 19% support this decision.

Political consensus on priority sectors for Swiss development cooperation, with world security as a shared objective

Across the political spectrum, there is broad consensus that health and education should be prioritised by Swiss development cooperation.
Promoting world security is the most widely supported overall objective with about 50% of respondents ranking it as a first or second priority (40% left and right and 60% centrist).
Beyond security, left-leaning respondents prioritise using Swiss aid to address climate change (46%), whereas right-leaning respondents place greater emphasis on managing migration (43%).

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Report 2025

Correction: An earlier version of this report incorrectly stated that fewer than one quarter of Swiss residents support further increases in military spending. The correct figure is 40%. The report has been updated accordingly. The figures in the statistical annex were correct and remain unchanged.