Swiss authorities and economic stakeholders expressed relief on Sunday after voters narrowly rejected a contentious anti-immigration proposal aimed at capping the country’s population, a plan that had triggered warnings of potential “chaos.”
Preliminary projections showed that nearly 55 percent of voters opposed the “No to a Switzerland with 10 million!” initiative, backed by the hard-right Swiss People’s Party (SVP).
Swiss justice minister Beat Jans welcomed the outcome, saying the public vote had “sent a signal of stability, openness, and reliability,” as cited by AP.
The initiative was backed by the populist Swiss People’s Party, which holds the most seats in parliament and has long campaigned on concerns over immigration, particularly the influx of workers from neighbouring European Union countries.
Some have described the proposal as a “Swiss Brexit” because it could put at risk Switzerland’s close ties with the European Union, which are based on agreements supporting economic growth, cultural links and cross-border movement. Switzerland is not an EU member state, but it is almost entirely surrounded by four EU countries.
Switzerland’s population has risen by nearly a quarter over the past generation, while foreign nationals now account for close to one-third of the country’s total population. The right-wing party put forward the “sustainability initiative,” arguing that Switzerland’s infrastructure, housing, social services, natural resources and way of life have come under pressure from rapid population growth.
The federal government, Parliament, and the business association EconomieSuisse have opposed the proposal.
Swiss democracy allows citizens a direct role in policymaking through referendums, which are typically held four times a year. Most ballots are cast by mail, while in-person voting closes at noon local time on Sunday.
Under the proposal, a “yes” vote would require the Swiss government to implement measures to cap the population by 2050.
If the population reaches 9.5 million before that deadline, authorities would be obliged to restrict asylum, family reunification and residency permits, and could be required to terminate Switzerland’s agreement with the European Union on the free movement of people.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has reported that Switzerland’s foreign-born population stood at 32% in 2024, ranking behind only Luxembourg and Australia among its 38 member countries.
