Jakarta, ThedailyID — Switzerland is witnessing a growing number of residents leaving officially recognized churches as many seek to avoid paying the country’s church tax.
Swiss authorities impose the tax on members of state-recognized churches. The amount varies by canton and income level, but it generally ranges from 1% to 3% of annual earnings.
The only way to avoid the levy is to formally withdraw from church membership. Consequently, church departures have surged in recent years.
According to local media reports, 67,497 people left the Catholic Church in Switzerland during 2023. The figure nearly doubled compared to the previous year.
Meanwhile, 39,517 people officially withdrew from Protestant churches during the same period. Together, the two groups accounted for nearly 100,000 departures nationwide.
Data from the Swiss Pastoral Sociology Institute showed that Basel-Stadt recorded the highest withdrawal rate. Around 4.5% of church members in the canton formally left their religious institutions.
Basel-Stadt allows residents to complete the withdrawal process through an official administrative procedure. As a result, former members no longer need to pay church taxes.
Although official data does not always identify the reasons behind each departure, observers have noted higher withdrawal rates in regions that enforce church taxes.
However, taxes are not the only factor behind the trend. Experts also point to growing secularism and controversies involving religious institutions as contributing factors.
Recent demographic surveys suggest that an increasing number of Swiss residents identify as atheists. By 2022, atheists accounted for an estimated 34% of the country’s population.
The figures reflect broader changes in Switzerland’s religious landscape. Moreover, they highlight how financial obligations and shifting social attitudes continue to reshape religious affiliation across the country.
