Swiss voters reject 10 million population cap in key referendum
Swiss voters rejected a proposal on Sunday to cap the national population at 10 million residents. The electorate prioritized economic stability and existing agreements with the European Union over concerns regarding strained public services and rising housing costs.
Preliminary results indicate 55% of voters opposed the initiative, while 45% supported it. The referendum, which drew comparisons to the 2016 UK Brexit vote, had triggered significant anxiety within the Swiss business sector.
Business leaders feared that the measure would terminate the free movement of labor between Switzerland and the EU, the country’s primary trading partner. The proposal, backed by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), sought to mandate the cap before 2050.
If the threshold had been exceeded for two consecutive years, Switzerland would have been forced to denounce its bilateral free movement agreements. The government actively urged citizens to reject the proposal to maintain national predictability.
Justice Minister Beat Jans welcomed the outcome as a signal of stability and openness. He pledged to address ongoing concerns regarding immigration and the housing market through alternative policy measures.
Switzerland’s population currently stands at 9.1 million, with foreign nationals accounting for 28% of the total. Official projections suggest the 10 million mark could be reached by the early 2040s.
Turnout reached 59%, significantly higher than the 48% average typically recorded in Swiss referendums. Despite the defeat, SVP President Marcel Dettling stated the party would continue to advocate for stricter immigration controls.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
