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SuisseThe increasingly neglected religion … except among young people
People without religious practice are always more numerous, but there is a rebound among 15-24 year olds.
The institutional churches attract less, but that does not mean that no one has nothing to do with spirituality.
20min/Celia noglerWe must not bury religion too quickly in Switzerland. The Federal Statistical Office published on Monday the latest figures and observed the developments in terms of staff of religions and the practices linked to it. And it may be a surprise, but the youngest are not far those who are turning away from churches or mosques.
Overall, people without religion are now the most important group. It went “from 1% of the population in 1970 to 36% today”, notes the OFS. It is even more than Catholics, which are just under 31%. But what interested the office is not only the labels, it is if these people practice or not, believe or not. And, there, we realize that the age class of 15 to 24 years is a little more pious than that which precedes it, the 25 to 44 year olds. In these young people, 49.1% declare prayer, compared to 42.6% among 25 to 44 year olds.
A life after death?
This is the situation today. But if we observe the evolution, there too, young people are rather out of trend. “In 2024, regular prayer was less widespread than in 2014 in all age groups except for 15 to 24 years,” reads the file. Similarly, young people are the most numerous among the whole population to believe in a life after death (57%, against 51.6% in the global population).
Despite everything, overall, spirituality is clear. More and more people are leaving their official religion and, contrary to what one might think, it is not first to pay less taxes, only 12% of the people who have turned their backs on their religion advance this reason. The majority said they never had or lost faith or disagree with the positions of their church or community.
No “big replacement”
Muslims are not about to take power in Switzerland. While traditional Catholics and Protestants are in strong decline, Muslims are increasing, but at a rate almost identical to the increase in the number of people counted in the group “Other Christian communities”, such as evangelical, orthodox, etc. These two groups each represent 6% of the population. Muslims are not the most pious. There are 46% not having participated in a religious service in the twelve months preceding the survey, it is more than the 29.6% of Catholics or 20.2% of other Christians who admit to having dried the Church.
