Swiss voters reject far-right plan to cap population at 10 million

Voters in Switzerland have rejected a far-right initiative to cap the country’s population at 10 million in a closely watched referendum described by some observers as a “Swiss Brexit.”

According to official results, cited by The Guardian, 54.79% of voters opposed the proposal put forward by the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), while 45.21% supported it. Voter turnout reached 58.86%.

Had the initiative passed, the Swiss government would have been required to limit the population—currently around 9.1 million—to 10 million by 2050. If the population had reached 9.5 million before that date, authorities would have been obliged to introduce stricter measures on family reunification, residency permits, and asylum applications.

The proposal further stipulated that if the 10 million threshold were exceeded before 2050, Switzerland would have been required to withdraw from its free movement agreement with the European Union, effectively ending its access to the EU single market.

The SVP, which holds the largest number of seats in parliament, has long campaigned on anti-immigration policies, particularly targeting workers from EU member states. The party argued that its so-called “sustainability initiative” was necessary due to rising pressure on infrastructure, housing, public services, natural resources, and the Swiss way of life.

Switzerland’s population has grown significantly faster than that of neighbouring EU countries, increasing by 23% since the free movement agreement came into force in 2002. Over the same period, economic output rose by approximately 24%, according to government data. Official statistics also show that around 27% of residents in Switzerland are not citizens.

Urs Bieri of polling institute GFS Bern told Reuters that the initiative failed because voters were unconvinced by the proposal and concerned about its potential consequences despite public concern over population growth.

“Voters were worried ‌about negative consequences for Switzerland’s relationship with the EU and for the labour market,” he said. “People are also worried about things like having enough care and ‌health workers. Also, there’s a feeling that in the current international environment it’s not sensible for a small country to do this.”

Switzerland’s seven-member federal government, which includes representatives from the country’s four largest parties, including the SVP, had collectively opposed the initiative, warning it could undermine national stability, damage the economy, and weaken long-term prosperity.

Business groups also warned that a population cap could restrict access to foreign labour and strain Switzerland’s economic ties with Brussels.

Pre-election polls had indicated a tight race, a projection confirmed by a final survey from GFS Bern, which also predicted a narrow rejection.

Switzerland’s system of direct democracy allows citizens’ initiatives to reach a nationwide referendum if they gather at least 100,000 signatures within 18 months. Referendums are typically held four times a year and have long been a key instrument of the SVP’s political strategy.

While many countries impose immigration controls, no country has previously voted to impose a direct cap on its total population.

By Tamilla Hasanova