In this research area, we examine the political and institutional foundations of health care systems. 

We analyse how political actors, public preferences, party dynamics, and administrative structures shape the development, adoption, and implementation of health policies. Drawing on political science, health economics, and data science, the research explores ideological conflict, institutional constraints, and voter attitudes, and how these factors influence reform capacity, system performance, and trust in health care institutions.

We also study how governance arrangements and political environments affect the functioning and resilience of health care systems. This includes analysing public attitudes toward health spending and reform, the politicisation of health issues in democratic systems, and the implications of technological and socioeconomic change for policy preferences. By integrating empirical data with comparative and analytical methods, we generate evidence that supports the design of effective governance structures and improve understanding of the political dynamics that shape health systems in Switzerland and other democracies.

Selected topics:

• Politicisation of health in Western democracies
• Ideological conflict lines and voter–party alignment in health policy
• Public attitudes toward health spending, cost containment, and inequality
• AI adoption, risk perceptions, and policy preferences in high-income countries
• Comparative health-policy analysis across democracies