Press Releases

KOF and the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) newspaper have surveyed economists at Swiss universities on the upcoming vote on the Climate Change Act and other topical economic policy issues relating to climate change. There is disagreement among survey respondents as to whether the measures contained in the counter-proposal are sufficient to achieve the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.  

Together with the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), KOF surveyed economists at Swiss universities on the Swiss banking sector and the takeover of Credit Suisse and received 167 responses. Almost half of the economists would have preferred a takeover by the state (and possible later sale) as a solution. More than two-thirds of the survey participants fear a deterioration in the stability of the Swiss banking sector as a result of the takeover.

In August, KOF and the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) newspaper surveyed economists at Swiss universities on the country’s pension system and the upcoming vote on the ‘AHV 21’ reforms and received 133 responses. A clear majority of economists are (more or less) in favour of these reforms from an economic point of view. Raising the qualifying pension age is seen by more than half of survey respondents as the most important way of improving the financial situation of the AHV.

In March, KOF and the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) newspaper surveyed 110 economists at Swiss universities on their assessments of inflation and monetary policy in Switzerland. More than half of these respondents reckon that the key interest rate will be positive in the next five years. An interest-rate move by the SNB is not expected until the ECB has raised its key rate.

In August, KOF and Switzerland’s Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) newspaper surveyed economists at Swiss universities on the so-called ‘99 per cent Initiative’ and the associated inequalities of income and wealth.  

In April, KOF and Switzerland’s Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) newspaper surveyed economists on the subjects of state aid during the coronavirus crisis and the future of public finances. They found that there are hardly any economists who think that the debt brake should be applied very rigorously. There is also agreement among the 167 survey respondents that cuts in social security, education and research should be avoided.