Have the policies of national political parties in Switzerland on mental health evolved since the COVID-19 pandemic? A comparative study of election manifestos from 2019 and 2023

Abstract

Mental health has become a burgeoning issue throughout Switzerland, exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19 on populational mental wellbeing and psychiatric services, though its broader sociopolitical importance remains underexamined. To explore coverage of mental health policies and their evolution since COVID-19, this article assessed national party manifestos from the 2019 and 2023 Swiss elections. Pre-election materials were collated through online searches and subsequent outreach to party organisations. Manifestos were available from n = 6 parties, cumulatively accounting for 72.7% of national votes in 2019 and 72.2% in 2023, and were reviewed for explicit mental health policies or adjunct proposals (e.g. around drug policy and health prevention and promotion). Only a modest increase was evident in mental health policy content from 2019 to 2023, with proxy or adjunct public health proposals primarily represented (especially around prevention and promotion). Notably, only one party in 2023 proposed an explicit mental health policy, which was contextually linked to COVD-19. This juxtaposition between recent public opinion signals and the prioritisation of mental health within electoral frameworks could potentially be informed by other ongoing international and domestic concerns. Future research should examine how societal attitudes towards mental health develop and whether this stimulates political engagement or proposals across Switzerland and elsewhere.