Voters in Switzerland have rejected a proposal to limit the country’s population to 10 million. Results showed nearly 55 per cent voted against and 45 per cent in favour, with turnout at 60 per cent.
The proposal came from the right‑wing Swiss People’s Party, long known for its anti‑immigration platform.
The divisive vote risked jeopardising Switzerland’s free movement agreement with the European Union and was opposed by the government, Swiss businesses, and all other major parties.
Welcoming the rejection, Justice Minister Beat Jans said it was “a sign of stability, openness and reliability.”
Switzerland’s population has grown rapidly since 2002, when it stood at 7.3 million. It is now 9.1 million, with 27 per cent non‑citizens.
The People’s Party argued that capping the population would ease pressure on transport, housing, and the environment, but failed to convince enough voters.
Although the party insisted the cap was meant to protect public services and the environment, it has a long history of anti‑immigrant campaigning, often blaming asylum seekers and minorities for social problems.
Some voters worried about losing much‑needed workers in tourism, hospitals, and care homes. Business leaders feared losing access to Europe’s single market, where more than half of Swiss exports go. Approval of the cap would have forced Switzerland to end its free movement agreement with the EU.
Both the government and business leaders said the result shows non‑EU member Switzerland wants to remain close to Europe.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who stayed out of the campaign, welcomed the outcome. “The Swiss people have spoken. The EU and Switzerland share deep ties and a strong partnership” he said.
Still, concerns over high rents, overdevelopment, crowded transport, and rising health costs remain. Swiss People’s Party president Marcel Dettling said the vote showed that “the population wants solutions. Not a single problem has been solved.”
Observers note that many voters may be weary of the party’s continued focus on immigration as the root of Switzerland’s problems, while not convinced stricter controls are the solution.
Switzerland’s system of direct democracy means major decisions are taken via ballot. Campaigners need only 100,000 signatures to trigger a nationwide vote.
Two young politicians voiced opposing views before the referendum. Nils Fiechter, 29, of the People’s Party in Bern’s parliament, said, “We have lost control. Unchecked immigration is leading to Switzerland no longer being Switzerland.”
In 2022, Fiechter and his youth wing co‑president were convicted of racial discrimination over a 2018 poster targeting Roma and traveller communities. He argues immigration is directly responsible for “housing shortages, gridlocked traffic, overburdened schools and strained social services.”
But Helin Genis, 31, a Social Democrat on Bern city council, dismissed these claims as scapegoating.
