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Much remains to be done to address the root causes of radicalization in Tunisia. Switzerland could make a meaningful contribution by creating spaces for dialogue, focusing on the grassroots level and supporting research.

The Military Academy at ETH Zurich and the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich have published the annual survey «Sicherheit 2018». Since 1999, the study has evaluated long-term trends and tendencies in public opinion on foreign, security and defense policy issues in Switzerland.

Subsidiarity is an enduringly popular principle that ensures efficient, citizen-oriented political solutions. However, when applied, it also always entails a great deal of effort and a certain degree of vulnerability. As a way of compensating for these disadvantages, Switzerland’s security policy will in the future be characterized by constant dialog and pragmatic governance approaches.

Islamophobia is not more prevalent in Switzerland today than it was before the terrorist violence that Europe has experienced since the 2015 attacks in Paris. Still, Muslims today are often victims of discrimination. The polarized public discourse about Islam may have helped to erode psychological inhibitions against discriminatory behavior.