Citizens’ Assembly 2025 discusses rising healthcare costs
- The «Citizens’ Assembly 2025» will discuss rising healthcare costs, this was decided by a representative population survey.
- The research project coordinated by the Center for Democracy Studies Aarau (CDA) at the
universities of Zurich and Geneva is investigating the extent to which citizens’ councils
are suitable for conducting important social debates. - The 100 people who will take part in the Citizens’ Assembly from November 2024 were drawn today at the Polit-Forum Bern.
The «Citizens’ Assembly 2025» will address the urgent issue of rising healthcare costs. The 100 people who will take part in the Citizens’ Assembly from November 2024 were drawn by lot today. The project – a collaboration between the Universities of Zurich and Geneva – aims to find out to what extent a Citizens’ Assembly can contribute to the quality of public debate and to finding political solutions. The research project is being coordinated by the Center for Democracy Studies Aarau.
Healthcare costs have long been a key concern of the Swiss population. A recent survey conducted by the Center for Democracy Studies Aarau in in collaboration with the Federal Statistical Office and gfs.bern shows that over 40% of respondents would like to raise the issue of rising healthcare costs in the Citizens’ Assembly – ahead of energy supply, neutrality policy, pension funding and European policy. «Measures to reduce healthcare costs have been negotiated intensively for many years in the
political committees and with the numerous players in the Swiss healthcare system. The political parties are also working closely with their grassroots, the public and civil society on solutions to this challenge that affects us all. I am very excited to see what new impetus the Population Council will bring to the debates,» says National Councillor Melanie Mettler,
member of the National Council’s Social Security and Health Committee and part of the political support group for the Population Council. The political support group with members from all six major parties accompanies the Population Council in its preparation and exchanges ideas with the participants drawn by lot.
Public opinion-forming
Prof. Dr. Daniel Kübler, co-initiator of the project at the University of Zurich, states: «The
Citizens’ Assembly offers the opportunity to conduct a constructive dialog within a group that represents the population in its diversity about what it considers important in terms of healthcare costs». A central aim is to stimulate an open and informed discourse on rising healthcare costs and thus contribute to opinion-forming. The question of interest is: What conclusion does an independent group of people drawn at random come to when examining measures to reduce healthcare costs? By communicating these results, the aim is to put the public in a better position to form their own opinion.
Pensioners next to young people
A two-stage random process was used to reflect the diversity of the Swiss population and include different opinions. 22,000 people were invited to take part in the Citizens’ Assembly. From the registrations received, 100 people were drawn today who are as diverse as possible in terms of age, gender, education and political views. «The Population Council reflects the diversity of opinions and experiences of the Swiss population,» says Prof. Dr. Nenad Stojanović, co-initiator of the project at the University of Geneva, adding: «These are completely normal, independent people without lobby interests: Electricians sit next to kindergarten teachers and pensioners next to young people on the population council.» That is the great advantage of such lottery procedures. The public is also invited to get involved in the issue of rising healthcare costs. They can use an online platform to express their priorities and areas of focus. The proposals with the most votes will then be submitted to the Citizens’ Assembly for discussion.
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Briefly summarized
The «Citizens’ Assembly 2025» research project is investigating new complementary forms of democracy. A national population council brings together 100 randomly selected residents from all over Switzerland to discuss rising healthcare costs. The Citizens’ Assembly offers the opportunity to engage in a constructive dialog within a group that represents the population in all its diversity about what it considers to be important.
Media kit
Media kit: «Citizens’ Assembly 2025»
Dossier de presse : «Assemblée Citoyenne 2025»
Cartella stampa: «Assemblea Cittadina 2025»
Further information
Photos of the media conference
Contact
Loïc Schwab, Communications Manager «Citizens’ Assembly 2025»
loic.schwab@zda.uzh.ch, +41 62 836 94 41