Swiss voters backing new EU deal 2-1 after U.S. tariff shock: survey

Audio By Carbonatix

Enlarge

ZURICH (Reuters) -A clear majority of Swiss voters support a new deal that deepens the country’s economic ties with the European Union following the shock and uncertainty caused by U.S. tariffs on Switzerland, a survey showed on Wednesday.

Published by newspaper Blick, the survey by polling firm GFS Bern of around 1,000 respondents showed that 61% were either strongly in favour of, or more likely to, back the deal agreed in December.

Some 30% of the eligible voters polled took the opposite view; the rest expressed no preference. The polling was carried out in July and August, chiefly before the full impact of the U.S. tariffs became known, the paper said.

U.S. President Donald Trump on August 7 imposed tariffs of 39% on Switzerland, one of the highest rates worldwide, saying they were justified by the U.S. trade deficit with the country.

The tariffs are far higher than the 15% rate Trump imposed on the EU, and caused dismay among Swiss companies, which have traditionally been well disposed towards the United States.

The survey, which was carried out on behalf of pharmaceutical industry association Interpharma, showed that supporters of nearly all Switzerland’s main political parties were clearly leaning towards approving the deal.

The exception were supporters of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, which opposes closer integration with the EU, seeing it as an infringement of Swiss sovereignty and freedoms. Only 17% of its supporters backed the deal, with 68% against.

The EU-Swiss accord, which covers everything from freedom of movement to state aid, alignment of laws and resolution of legal disputes, will likely face its toughest test at the ballot box, with major issues generally put to a referendum.

A referendum on the deal is not expected before 2027.

(Reporting by Dave Graham, Editing by Louise Heavens)