Zürich’s municipalities are facing increasing pressures, from population growth and asylum seeker accommodation to staffing levels and declining participation in local governance.
Only a small number of Zürcher Gemeinden have a parliament. Pictured is Winterthur.
Selina Haberland / NZZ
The 8th of March is a significant political day in the Canton of Zürich, with municipal elections and national votes taking place. Over a thousand individuals will be newly appointed to executive positions, and thirteen cities will also elect their parliaments.
A recent evaluation by the Center for Democracy in Aarau, commissioned by the Zürich municipal office, highlights key trends in the canton’s municipalities. The study is based on the 2023 national municipal survey.
Five key findings emerge from the analysis.
1. Staffing Levels Rising Faster Than the Rest of Switzerland
The expansion of state positions is particularly pronounced in the Canton of Zürich. Eighty-two percent of municipalities reported an increase in personnel over the past decade, compared to 68 percent nationwide.
While nationwide growth in municipal administrations is evident, it is more significant in Zürich, likely due to population growth.
Notably, all municipalities with over 5,000 inhabitants reported an increase in staffing. In smaller municipalities with under 1,000 inhabitants, over half reported no change.
2. Asylum Seeker Accommodation as a Major Challenge
Municipalities in Zürich are facing greater challenges in accommodating asylum seekers. Fifty-four percent reported reaching their limits in this area, double the rate of the rest of Switzerland (27 percent).
This feedback relates to the situation a year after the outbreak of the Ukraine war, when the canton’s intake quota was 0.9 percent. This has since risen to 1.6 percent, and currently stands at 1.5 percent. The canton has expanded its own infrastructure to alleviate the burden on municipalities.
Zürich municipalities also report greater strain in areas such as home care (Spitex), IT, digitalization, overall municipal administration, and financial administration.
3. More Women in Municipal Executives
Women are increasingly represented in municipal governments. In Zürich, women comprise 32 percent of municipal executive members, compared to 28 percent in the rest of Switzerland.
In the thirteen Zürich municipal parliaments, women account for 35 percent of members, slightly higher than the rest of Switzerland. Representation varies significantly, from 44 percent in the city of Zürich to 19 percent in Adliswil.
4. The FDP is the Strongest Party in the Executives
The political landscape varies across the canton. In the cities of Zürich and Winterthur, center-left parties dominate, while the FDP is the most represented party in municipal executives across the canton, accounting for 20 percent of members. The SVP follows with 14 percent.
However, the largest group accounting for 42 percent of members, is those without party affiliation.
5. Attending the Municipal Assembly? No, Thank You!
In 147 Zürcher municipalities, the municipal assembly is the highest governing body. However, participation rates are low, with only 3.4 percent of eligible voters attending, compared to 7.5 percent nationwide.
Participation is higher in smaller municipalities, with an average of 7.6 percent in those with under 1,000 inhabitants, compared to around 1.5 percent in municipalities with 10,000 to 50,000 inhabitants.
A 2009 analysis by the Statistical Office of the Canton of Zürich found that 97 percent of proposals from municipal authorities were successful in these assemblies.
