World Radio Switzerland
http://worldradio.ch/wrs/news/switzerland/free-movement-vote-likely-to-be-close.shtml?12362Free movement vote likely to be close
Swiss voters appear to be for the extension of the Free Movement of Persons accord with the European Union, but the “yes” vote is still short of a majority. A Swiss Broadcasting Corporation poll finds 49 percent say they’ll vote yes on February 8 and 40 percent say they’ll vote no, but 11 percent are still undecided. Pollster Claude Longchamp told WRS’s Jordan Davis that the result of the vote is likely to be close—and that the economy is going to be a decisive factor.
Swiss Broadcasting Corporation poll question (translated): Not taking into account whether you will actually be voting or not: If you had to vote on Free Movement of People tomorrow, would you be completely for, somewhat for, somewhat against or completely against?
National results - overall
| YES | 49 percent |
| NO | 40 percent |
| UNDECIDED | 11 percent |
This is almost exactly the same breakdown seen in polls at this same time ahead of the 2005 vote on Free Movement of Persons. General trends in a nutshell: The younger, the more affluent and the more educated favor the Free Movement of Persons.
National results - breakdown
| COMPLETELY FOR | 29 percent |
| SOMEWHAT FOR | 20 percent |
| SOMEWHAT AGAINST | 18 percent |
| COMPLETELY AGAINST | 22 percent |
| UNDECIDED | 11 percent |
Regional trends - overall
| GERMAN CH | FRENCH CH | ITALIAN CH | |
| YES | 47 | 61 | 31 |
| NO | 44 | 23 | 66 |
| UNDECIDED | 9 | 16 | 3 |
The Röstigraben appears to be shrinking if you compare this to the 1992 vote on the European Economic Area (EEA), where 30 percent seperated German and French speakers, with a very clear and wide rejection of the EEA in Swiss German regions and acceptance among French speakers. Still, support for Free Movement of Persons is higher in the Swiss Romand, as is usual for most European-related issues. Ticino, as usual, is a hotbed of anti-European sentiment.