Switzerland is holding a referendum on a proposal to cap the country's population at 10 million, an initiative pushed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP). Final ballots were cast Sunday, following years of backlash against immigration by the party.
The constitutional amendment would require Switzerland's population not to exceed 10 million by 2050. Official forecasts project that threshold would be reached in the early 2040s. If the population hits 9.5 million before 2050, the government would be forced to limit asylum, family reunification, and residence permits, and could potentially scrap an agreement with the EU on the free movement of people.
Results are expected to start coming in around midday GMT. Recent polls from gfs.bern suggest the vote could be very tight.
The SVP argues that the 'sustainable' initiative is necessary because Switzerland's infrastructure, housing, social programs, natural resources, and lifestyle have been strained by demographic growth. However, the federal government and parliament oppose the idea.
Critics point out that the inflow of immigrants over the past generation has brought foreign labor and skills to sectors such as healthcare, finance, pharmaceuticals, and technology. Some also fear the proposal, if passed, would weaken ties with Brussels, as the EU is Switzerland's top trading partner.
Even some figures within the SVP say the proposal is not meant to end free movement, but to serve as a wake-up call. 'I don't want to end free movement,' said Heinz Taennler, an SVP politician and finance director of Zug canton. 'Another million people can still enter Switzerland, but the government needs to act.'
According to the OECD, as of 2024, 32% of Switzerland's population was born abroad, second only to Luxembourg and Australia among 38 member countries. The majority of foreigners in Switzerland are European, differing from the trend of immigration from developing countries seen in many other European nations.
Since Switzerland and the EU eased restrictions on citizens living and working across borders in 2002, Switzerland's population has grown 23% to 9.1 million at the end of last year. Economic output rose 24% over the same period, according to government data.
Swiss experts note that while many countries have immigration limits, no country has ever voted to cap its population. The referendum is one of several votes on immigration over the past half-century, with only one 'anti-mass immigration' referendum in 2014 passing narrowly.
