Swiss support new agreement with the EU – US tariffs as trigger

A clear majority of Swiss voters support a new agreement with the European Union that aims to deepen economic relations between the two sides.

This is according to a survey by the GFS Bern institute, which was published by the newspaper Blick.

According to the survey, 61 percent of those polled were in favor of the agreement concluded in December, 30 percent were against it, and the rest were undecided.

The survey was conducted in the summer, before the full impact of US tariffs was felt.

In early August, the United States under President Donald Trump imposed punitive tariffs of 39 percent on Swiss products—one of the highest tariffs worldwide.

This move shocked many Swiss companies, which traditionally rely heavily on the US market. This led to a significant shift in preferences toward the EU among the population.

The agreement has the support of almost all political camps, with the exception of the right-wing Swiss People's Party, which sees it as a threat to national sovereignty. A referendum is not expected until 2027 at the earliest.

(reuters, red)