Hope Barometer 2026 shows Switzerland as a country in a state of "internal tension"

The Hope Barometer has been conducted annually in Switzerland since 2009 in November for the coming year in a broad-based internet survey in collaboration with the media outlet "20 Minuten". What is striking is the clear distinction between personal and social well-being. More than half of those surveyed feel happy or fairly happy, and personal well-being has even improved slightly recently after the crisis years. 

Trust in the social "we" is crumbling

However, the assessment of the social environment is much more critical. Many people doubt that they themselves can contribute anything to society, and only a minority believe that people are fundamentally good. Trust in the social "we" therefore remains fragile. At the same time, the study shows a stable foundation of personal hope. Around three-quarters of respondents say they can remain hopeful even in difficult times. In their everyday lives, hopes outweigh fears more often than not. Hope is not understood as unrealistic optimism, but as the ability to remain capable of action despite uncertainty. It is fueled by the desire for a good future, the belief in its fundamental possibility and confidence in one's own or shared resources.

Will the quality of life decline in the future?

The outlook for the distant future is particularly ambivalent. Around two-thirds of respondents expect the quality of life in Switzerland to decline in twenty years' time. As well, a clear ideal emerges: a large majority would like to see a more sustainable, cooperative and socially balanced society. Quality of life, cohesion and ecological responsibility receive greater weighting than pure economic growth.

The search for meaning outweighs the desire for material prosperity

One finding that has received little attention so far concerns the changing understanding of prosperity. Many people are questioning the primacy of economic growth and attaching greater importance to intangible factors such as meaning, social stability and belonging. "This could indicate a cultural shift in values that goes beyond short-term economic issues," says study leader Andreas Krafft. However, he adds that there is one caveat: security and stability are still considered the basis for a contented life.

People in Switzerland: risk-sensitive, not reform-weary

There is a willingness to make profound changes to one's own lifestyle in general, but it is not excessive. Change is generally welcomed as long as it is not perceived as a loss of control. "The population is less reform-weary than risk-sensitive," says Krafft. "Political or social changes need more than just objective necessity to gain acceptance. They also need a certain appeal and confidence in the meaningfulness of a transformation," adds the study author, summarising the situation. Andreas Krafft sees the polarities visible in the Hope Barometer, such as dominant culture versus diversity, location competition versus courage in climate protection, and state control versus entrepreneurial freedom, as areas for development. "As long as a convincing 'new' is not visible and cannot be experienced in everyday life, polarisation will remain: then the need for security will dominate, while change will be perceived as a threat," explains the study leader. That is precisely why the future needs more than just necessity. It needs a shared vision of the future that makes the gains in quality of life, meaning, fairness and stability concrete. And thus translates hope into a willingness to act.

The Hope Barometer thus paints a picture not of a resigned society, but of a "country in a state of internal tension." Personal stability meets social uncertainty, idealised images meet sceptical expectations. Hope is not a given, but it is present and considered important. Whether it becomes a formative force depends on whether we succeed in credibly communicating shared visions of the future and opening up spaces for participation.

About the Hope Barometer 2026

The Hope Barometer 2026 has been conducted annually since 2009 for the coming year in an online survey with the support of the daily newspaper “20 Minuten”. The current report presents the results of the survey conducted in November and December 2025. Starting in Switzerland, the survey is also being conducted in cooperation with other universities in Slovakia, Romania, France, India, Israel, Italy, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Estonia, Brazil and Japan. The public was asked about their expectations for the future, long-term social scenarios and hopes, desirable social and political developments, and their attitudes towards climate change. Study director Dr. Andreas M. Krafft, adjunct professor of strategic foresight at the Institute for Systemic Management and Public Governance at the University of St. Gallen (HSG), and co-president of swissfuture.

You can find out more about hope research and positive psychology in the Spiegel podcast “Smarter Leben” with Andreas Krafft, as well as in the SRF program “Hoffnungbringer” and the SRF article “Wie wir Zuversicht bewahren, wenn die Welt aus den Fugen gerät” (How we maintain confidence when the world is falling apart). The survey results were also published by project partner 20 Minuten.

You can find out more about hope research and positive psychology in the Spiegel podcast “Smarter Leben” with Andreas Krafft, as well as in the SRF program “Hoffnungsbringer” and the SRF article “Wie wir Zuversicht bewahren, wenn die Welt aus den Fugen gerät” (How we maintain confidence when the world is falling apart). The survey results were also published by project partner 20 Minuten.