Topic selection

The selection of topics for the Citizens’ Assembly was carried out through a broadly supported and transparent process. At the end of 2023, the project team made a preliminary selection of eleven possible topics. In addition to assessing their suitability for a Citizens’ Assembly, surveys on the main concerns of the Swiss population—such as the “Sorgenbarometer”—were also taken into account.

In a further step, all parliamentary groups represented in the national parliament were consulted to include their priorities. Based on these inputs, a shortlist of five topics was drawn up: “Financing of old-age pensions,” “Rising healthcare costs,” “Energy supply,” “Policy of neutrality,” and “Switzerland’s relationship with Europe.”

In April 2024, 27,000 people from across Switzerland were invited by mail to express their views on the Citizens’ Assembly. Each of the recipients could choose one of the five proposed topics to be discussed in the Assembly. Among the 5,106 people who took part in the survey, 41.6% selected the topic of “rising healthcare costs,” placing it far ahead of the other options.

Respondents most frequently justified their choice by pointing to the increasing financial burden of healthcare expenses on households, which is difficult for much of the population to bear. Many also saw the Citizens’ Assembly as an opportunity for a solution-oriented discussion free from the influence of interest groups, capable of generating fresh momentum. Another important factor in the selection was the issue’s direct relevance: all residents are directly affected by healthcare provision and the rising costs, giving everyone a personal connection to the topic.