Swiss Politicians Embrace Social Media to Reach Voters
Some Swiss politicians are increasingly turning to social media platforms, employing carefully crafted formats and adopting strategies borrowed from content creators, in an effort to connect with voters. A trend already well-established abroad is now gaining traction within the Swiss Federal Palace.
For the past year and a half, Marcel Dettling, president of the Swiss People’s Party (UDC), has been hosting a podcast. In each episode, lasting around fifteen minutes, National Councillor Dettling engages in conversation with Vivienne Huber, a 24-year-old member of the UDC. Together, they discuss the party’s positions on issues such as individual taxation, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SSR) initiative, and immigration.
“When we started, we were told, ‘Finally, you’re doing something for young people,’” Dettling remarked in an interview with RTS television. He believes this online format allows them to reach a younger audience, one that is less likely to consume traditional media.
The UDC reports success with the podcast, averaging over 20,000 views per episode. They attribute this success, in part, to the complementary dynamic between the two podcasters. “With Vivienne Huber, we chose a talented young person from within the party. She represents urban residents, while I come from a rural region. And it works very well,” Dettling explained.
The UDC is not alone in adopting this approach. The Social Democratic Party also has its own podcast, as do individual parliamentarians such as Thomas Matter (UDC/ZH) and Magdalena Martullo-Blocher (UDC/GR).
Short-Form Content to Capture Attention
Benoît Gaillard, a Social Democratic National Councillor from Vaud, is focusing on short-form, vertical video content. On his Instagram account, he regularly publishes videos centered around everyday themes. “I want to activate people, to mobilize them towards politics,” he says. “Health insurance premiums, childcare places: when we talk about what people are worried about, they listen. That doesn’t mean they agree, but they listen.”
Gaillard adds, “What also works is reminding people that they can take action. Through their ballot, sometimes by signing a petition or an initiative, people can change what worries them in their daily lives.”
The strategy appears to be yielding results, with some videos accumulating hundreds of thousands of views – significantly more than the number of Gaillard’s followers.
However, it remains to be seen whether this digital popularity will translate into votes. In Switzerland, voting remains largely structured around parties, rather than individual personalities, according to research on Swiss political campaigning. A 2023 study noted that Switzerland is a “laggard in terms of digital campaigning,” with direct democratic votes often centered around issues rather than personalities.
Research suggests social media platforms offer politicians the opportunity for direct communication with citizens, bypassing traditional media and party structures. This allows politicians to freely choose what messages they convey to voters. However, the impact of this direct engagement on Swiss politics remains subtle, and further research is needed to understand the dynamics between the political, public, and media arenas.
The use of social media by Members of Parliament (MPs) and voter reactions to these online activities are also areas of ongoing study, with researchers examining how MPs utilize these platforms and how their constituents respond.
