Federal Council wants to overturn construction ban Survey: majority of voters want to allow new nuclear power plants to be built again
The Federal Council wants to overturn the ban on new nuclear power plant construction passed by the electorate - and a majority of voters are in favor. This is shown by a new survey.
10.10.2025, 06:00
10.10.2025, 06:25
SDA
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- A new survey conducted on behalf of "20 Minuten" and Tamedia shows that a majority of Swiss voters want to allow the construction of new nuclear power plants again.
- The construction of new nuclear power plants has been banned since a referendum in 2017.
- However, Energy Minister Albert Rösti announced at the end of August 2024 that he wanted to remove the construction ban from the law.
- In mid-August 2025, the Federal Council adopted the corresponding dispatch to the Swiss parliament.
A majority of Swiss voters would like to allow the construction of new nuclear power plants again. This is the result of a recent survey commissioned by "20 Minuten" and Tamedia.
56% of those who took part in the survey, which was published on Friday by the Leewas Institute, were in favor of the Federal Council's plan. 42 percent were clearly or somewhat opposed, while 2 percent did not respond.
Switzerland decided to gradually phase out nuclear energy in 2011 following the reactor accident in Fukushima, Japan. In 2017, the majority of the population voted in favor of the nuclear phase-out. Since then, the construction of new nuclear power plants has been banned.
However, Energy Minister Albert Rösti announced at the end of August 2024 that he wanted to remove the construction ban from the law. In mid-August 2025, the Federal Council adopted the corresponding dispatch to the Federal Assembly.
Federal Council: amendment to the law as an indirect counter-proposal
According to the Federal Council, the amendment to the law should act as an indirect counter-proposal to the popular initiative "Electricity for all at all times (stop the blackout)". The Greens have already announced a referendum should the proposal find a majority in parliament.
The online survey is based on information provided by 14,775 people. It was conducted on September 16 and 17. The Leewas Institute then weighted the responses so that the results are representative of the entire voting population. The statistical margin of error is +/- 2 percentage points.
