Aargau is the 'freest' Swiss canton

Aargau takes the top spot in Switzerland based on a ranking of social and economic freedom. The northen canton came ahead of Liechtenstein (also included among the cantons) and Appenzell Outer Rhodes in the Avenir Suisse Freedom Index 2024. The annual ranking compiled by Avenir Suisse - a liberal-leaning think tank - is based on 29 economic and social indicators. The least free were Jura (25th), Uri (26th) and Valais (27th). The various indicators can be used to determine whether, and to what extent, government directives restrict freedom of choice and individual organisation, and therefore the personal responsibility. Freedom, however, remains a subjective concept, the think tank acknowledges. Each individual may evaluate differently whether or not a law, for example, is perceived as an unnecessary obstacle interfering with his or her options for action. This is why the index is designed interactively: in the Excel sheet made available, it is therefore possible to select or ...