Switzerland Refines Its Global Democracy Aims In A Tough Context

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Amid a global democratic decline, the Swiss foreign ministry has issued new guidelines to clarify how it wants to help shore up freedoms around the world. This content was published on May 8, 2025 - 18:43 5 minutes

As part of the democracy team, I report on the dynamic relationship between citizens and their institutions in Switzerland and abroad. Born in Ireland, I have a BA in European Studies and MA in International Relations. I've been at SWI swissinfo since 2017.

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Readers will have heard by now that global democracy is not doing well. Autocrats are on the rise, freedoms are not, and according to the V-Dem InstituteExternal link , the world is about as democratic as it was in the mid-1980s. Meanwhile, Donald Trump hasn't helped: his cuts at bodies like the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department have left a holeExternal link of $3 billion (CHF2.47 billion) in global democracy promotion.

What can Switzerland do about all this? On Wednesday, the foreign ministry tried to give some sort of an answer by publishing its first ever“Guidelines on DemocracyExternal link” – a strategic framework to guide its democracy promotion efforts in the coming years.

Reflecting the global situation, the tone is sober: for the period 2025-2028, the goal is to“safeguard the democratic world”, the guidelines state. This means not trying to turn authoritarian states into lands of freedom, but rather tackling the issue of“democratic backsliding” – the chipping away of processes and institutions in already-established democracies. That is, in places where“democratic processes and institutions already exist (at least to some extent) but are at risk”, as the Swiss foreign ministry writes.

Diplomacy and development

As to how Switzerland wants to do this, the guidelines list two main areas of action.

The first, a diplomatic track, is about using bilateral and multilateral dialogue to push democracy as an attractive model. Drawing on Switzerland's experience as a wealthy place with stable institutions, it involves efforts to“counteract the widespread negative discourse surrounding democracy and bolster a more positive, meaningful approach”.

This diplomatic track involves using traditional Swiss good offices; it could also involve short-term support to pro-democracy protestors – although the foreign ministry doesn't mention any specific examples of where this has been done.

The second area is a broad list of measures falling under the heading of“institutional and societal framework conditions”: for example, media support (e.g. the International Fund for Public Interest MediaExternal link ), promoting free and fair elections, or tackling corruption. The foreign ministry also says it wants to step up civic education in schools in partner countries; it will also continue to promote federalism and decentralisation, aiming to ensure“decisions are taken as close as possible to citizens”.

In Moldova, Swiss funding helps schoolkids learn about democracy and civic participation:

More More Schoolkids ready for Moldova's democracy – with Swiss help

This content was published on Oct 18, 2024 In Moldovan schools, education for society is a popular subject. Swiss funding supports this progressive approach to pedagogy. SWI swissinfo visited classrooms there to see how it works.

Read more: Schoolkids ready for Moldova's democracy – with Swiss hel

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