GENEVA

Most people in Switzerland feel safe, but many doubt the country’s defense readiness, according to a survey published on Monday.

More than three-quarters of respondents in the survey by the Sotomo research institute, according to Swissinfo, doubt the federal government is sufficiently prepared for conventional and hybrid threats.

"In the current context, a rigid interpretation of neutrality is being challenged," the survey said, noting that more than two-thirds of respondents favor closer security cooperation with neighboring European states.

A majority also supports stronger cooperation with NATO.

The findings also highlight a strong alignment with European values. More than four in five respondents said they identify with the values of western, central and northern Europe, while only 44% see a "fairly large" correspondence with US core values.

Support for increased defense spending is also growing, according to the survey. Most respondents favor raising the army's budget to 2% of gross domestic product by 2030, according to Strategiedialog21, a non-partisan Swiss foundation set up in 2011.

The survey concluded that Switzerland is not in crisis but reflects a country assessing its situation with "lucidity."

According to Sotomo, 5,249 people in Switzerland were surveyed between Nov. 18 and Dec. 15, and the results are considered "highly representative of the resident population."