Swiss confident in meritocracy amidst lower national concern for inequality

The findings for Switzerland highlight a nation with a unique perspective, standing in stark contrast to its European neighbours and the global consensus. The Swiss public demonstrates a belief in meritocracy and defines fairness by the provision of equal opportunities, leading to a much lower sense of urgency about inequality as a pressing national problem. 

The study's results suggest that the Swiss see their society as fundamentally fair, where individual effort is the primary driver of success. This deep-seated confidence in the system sets them apart from citizens in neighbouring countries who express significantly greater concern about systemic inequality and see a greater need for intervention. 

A country confident in meritocracy 

• According to the index, 45% of Swiss citizens agree that people's chances of success depend mostly on their own merit and efforts. This conviction is similar to neighbouring France (44%) and Germany (43%).
• The contrast is most dramatic when compared with Italy, where only 34% of the population shares this view, and a plurality (44%) believe success is dictated by factors beyond their control.
• In Switzerland, only a quarter of the population (25%) feels that external factors are the main determinant of success, well below the global average of 30%.
• A notable generational gap exists, with 26% of Baby Boomers versus 11% of Gen Z strongly agreeing with the merit-based perspective. Globally, this gap is observed as well, and it has been growing since 2023. 

Fairness defined as equal opportunity 

• When asked to define a fair society, half of the Swiss (50%) chose one where "everyone is given the same opportunities."
• This preference for an equal starting line is more pronounced than in France and Italy (both 47%), although slightly less so than in Germany (52%).
• This focus on opportunity is further emphasized by the low support for outcome-based fairness: only 17% of Swiss citizens believe a fair society is one where "everyone enjoys the same quality of life," a figure lower than the global average of 20% and significantly lower than in neighbouring France and Italy (both 23%).
• Additionally, those with higher education levels in Switzerland (58%) are more in agreement compared to those with lower education levels (42%), highlighting different perspectives that education level can bring to this view of fairness.

Inequality is not a top priority 

• Inequality does not register as a top-tier concern for the Swiss public. Only 35% of Swiss citizens view inequality as one of the "most important" problems facing the country.
• This places Switzerland far below the global average of 51% and distinguishes it sharply from its European peers. In neighbouring Italy (50%), France (48%), and Germany (41%), the level of concern is substantially higher, highlighting a distinct continental divide on the urgency of this issue. 

Entrusting governments and employers with inequality reduction 

• Swiss citizens predominantly look to governments and employers to tackle inequality, with 48% seeing the government as the main entity responsible, followed by businesses at 28%.
• Among younger citizens, especially those under 35, there is a pronounced tendency to consider employers as central figures, with 33% preferring them as key actors. However, 57% of those aged 50 to 74 believe the government is responsible for reducing inequality, indicating a generational divide in perceptions of responsibility.
• The USA is an exception. There is clear political polarisation and more scepticism about the role of government in the US. Less than half of Americans (48%) think it should take responsibility to tackle inequality, whereas nearly two-thirds of respondents globally (65%) share this belief. 

A different understanding of disability 

• Compared to Baby Boomers, Gen Z is more than twice as likely to identify as neurodivergent (9% for Gen Z and 4% for Baby Boomers), and around four times more likely to report having a cognitive or learning disability (8% for Gen Z and 2% of Baby Boomers). 

“The 2025 Equalities Index underscores Switzerland's distinctive perspective on inequality, where a strong belief in meritocracy shapes societal views more than in other European countries." says Marcus Burke, Director of ESG & Client Services, Ipsos Public Affairs. "While the Swiss acknowledge specific issues such as gender inequality, their trust in a merit-based society is the crucial difference. This ensures the Swiss approach to inequality is focused on reinforcing individual opportunity, not on the systemic interventions being called for elsewhere in Europe." 

Technical note:These are the results of a 31-country survey conducted by Ipsos on its Global Advisor online platform between February 21 and March 7, 2025. In total, 23,228 adults were interviewed. The sample consists of approximately 1,000 individuals each in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, and the U.S., and 500 individuals each in Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, and Türkiye. The sample in India consists of approximately 2,200 individuals, of whom approximately 1,800 were interviewed face-to-face and 400 were interviewed online. Quotas were set to ensure representativeness and data have been weighted to the known population profile of each country.