Swiss men and women migrate to opposite political poles

Young men and women in Switzerland are drifting further apart in political opinion, according to a research study. Women between the ages of 18 and 29 feel increasingly associated with the politics of the left while men of the same age group are more right-wing than in the past. Some 52% of female respondents to a sotomo research group study describe themselves as left-leaning, compared to 35% in 2010. Men are drifting in the opposite direction, with the proportion identifying with the politics of the right increasing from 29% to 43%. The NZZ am Sonntag newspaper also reports a disparity of views on individual subjects that have gone to public vote in recent years. The newspaper analysed popular initiative votes depending on gender but not age. For example, 26% more men supported pension reforms last year. This issue had specific implications for women, raising their retirement age from 64 to 65. A 2021 vote on banning face coverings, which also has a greater impact on...