Swiss voters set to go to the polls on Sunday to decide on a controversial proposal to cap the national population at 10 million, a move that has exposed deep divisions over immigration in the Alpine nation.
The proposal, backed by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, is described by its supporters as a “sustainability initiative” intended to ease pressure on housing, public services, and the environment.
However, the Swiss government, business leaders, and trade unions have dubbed it a “chaos initiative”, warning it could isolate the country and damage essential relations with the European Union, reports BBC.
Switzerland’s population has grown rapidly in recent decades, rising from 7.3 million in 2002 to 9.1 million today. Currently, 27% of Swiss residents were born abroad.
Under the country’s system of direct democracy, the nationwide vote was triggered after campaigners gathered the required 100,000 signatures.
The initiative mandates that the population must not exceed 10 million before 2050. It requires the government to take active measures once the population reaches 9.5 million, which could include limiting asylum and ending family reunification rights for foreign workers.
Crucially, if the 10 million limit is reached, Switzerland would be forced to terminate international agreements, including the EU’s free movement of people.
Nils Fiechter, a Swiss People’s Party representative in canton Bern’s parliament, argues that “unchecked immigration” is causing a housing shortage, gridlocked traffic, and overburdened schools. “Switzerland [is] no longer being Switzerland,” he said. Conversely, Helin Genis, a Social Democrat on Bern city council, dismissed these arguments as “scapegoating”.
She argued that migrants do not determine rent levels or health insurance premiums, noting that viewing problems “through the lens of migration does not lead to solutions, but to division”.
The business community has also expressed alarm. Rudolf Minsch, chief economist at the business association Economiesuisse, warned that the move could jeopardise relations with the EU, Switzerland’s most important trading partner. He noted that Swiss employers are worried about labour shortages, particularly in hospitals and the hospitality sector, where half of all workers are immigrants.
Opponents further highlight that 20% of the Swiss population is now over 65, and young foreign workers are essential to fund and staff the needs of an ageing society.
Jon Pult, a Social Democrat member of parliament, expressed fears that the cap would leave Switzerland “alone in this unstable and dangerous world,” especially following recent trade tensions and punitive US tariffs.
Recent opinion polls suggest a very close contest, with 52% of voters currently opposed to the plan and 45% in favour, while a significant number remains undecided.
