Switzerland 2012

The Swiss National Integrity System (NIS) report represents an analysis of the twelve most important ‘pillars’ of society which play a crucial role in preventing and combating corruption. The following areas were analysed: Legislature, executive, judiciary, federal administration, law enforcement agencies, national electoral authority, ombudsman, supreme audit institution, political parties, media, civil society and business.

The different pillars are reviewed on the basis of the political, economic, social and cultural foundations in Switzerland. This review does not involve an in-depth analysis of the individual pillars, but aims to provide a relatively concise overview of the most important indicators characterising the various areas. The report also demonstrates how the interplay and mutual influence of the most important institutions, which impact on  the national governance system, function and takes a critical look at this.

The NIS methodology was developed by Transparency International and, where necessary, adjusted according to circumstances specific to Switzerland. Primarily, an analysis was made of the national institutions in Switzerland. Furthermore, in areas where it was indispensable for reviewing the national institutions or in order to make their functioning easier to understand, cantonal and communal legal principles and practical examples were selectively included in the analysis, namely in the case of the judiciary, law enforcement agencies and ombudsman pillars.

The results emerging from the report were also reviewed and discussed as part of an expert workshop. The aim of this workshop was, in particular, to elaborate recommendations designed to improve the Swiss national integrity system on a sustained basis and eliminate the existing weaknesses.

Additional materials from this assessment