First Swiss national strategy against racism and antisemitism presented

Switzerland has presented its first national strategy aimed at combating racism and antisemitism, marking a significant step in addressing discrimination and protecting minority communities. The initiative responds to findings that around one in six people in the country have experienced racial discrimination within the past five years.

The strategy, adopted by the Federal Council and effective from 2026 to 2031, sets out a coordinated framework for federal authorities, cantons, cities and municipalities. Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider explained in Bern that the plan centres on four main areas: improving the recording of racist and antisemitic incidents, strengthening victim protection, enhancing institutional prevention efforts, and promoting broader societal engagement.

The Federal Department of Home Affairs stressed that racism and antisemitism remain present realities in Switzerland, and the new model aims to foster closer dialogue with civil society while harmonising approaches across the country’s different levels of governance. The strategy will be followed in 2026 by a dedicated action plan detailing concrete measures.

The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities (SIG) has welcomed the introduction of the national strategy, calling it an important and overdue step in safeguarding minorities. At the same time, the organisation emphasises that the initiative’s effectiveness will depend on the strength of the forthcoming action plan and the resources allocated to it.

According to the SIG, the action plan must set out clear responsibilities, ambitious yet realistic targets, and tangible measures across key areas. These include stronger monitoring and analysis of racist and antisemitic incidents, effective educational and prevention programmes—particularly in schools—and targeted awareness-raising for public authorities and the wider population. The SIG also highlights the need to further develop legal instruments to address hate speech and antisemitic content online.

The organisation insists that sufficient financial and human resources are essential to ensure the long-term success of the strategy. It also calls for greater institutional visibility for the fight against antisemitism, suggesting that responsibilities in this domain be more explicitly reflected in the titles and mandates of the relevant offices.

Prevention is one of the central pillars of the new strategy. The SIG strongly supports maintaining and expanding representative surveys such as Living Together in Switzerland, which play a crucial role in identifying trends early and enabling evidence-based policymaking. Reliable data, the organisation argues, is indispensable for designing targeted and effective prevention efforts.

By adopting the strategy, the Federal Council has laid the groundwork for a more coherent and long-term response to racism and antisemitism. The SIG underscores that combating discrimination is a shared responsibility and intends to contribute constructively to the development and implementation of the action plan.

With antisemitic incidents remaining at troubling levels, the organisation stresses that a robust, comprehensive and sustainable approach is urgently needed. As Switzerland enters the next phase of defining concrete measures, the coming year will be crucial in ensuring that this landmark strategy delivers meaningful change.