An unprecedented referendum to limit the population in Switzerland news

Voters in Switzerland are heading to a historic and unprecedented vote to decide a proposal aimed at setting a cap on the country’s population at 10 million people by 2050.

The referendum, which is supported by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, comes in the context of an ongoing political campaign led by the anti-immigration movement to limit the influx of foreigners into the wealthy European country, which currently has a population of about 9.1 million people.

In-person voting is scheduled to take place on Sunday, within the system of direct democracy adopted in Switzerland, which gives citizens a direct role in formulating policies through periodic referendums held 4 times a year.

Recent opinion polls indicate a significant convergence in voters’ positions, which heralds a tense electoral battle that may carry broad political and economic repercussions.

The initiative’s supporters believe that rapid population growth, driven by immigration, especially from European Union countries, is putting increasing pressure on infrastructure, the housing market, social services, and natural resources, as well as a threat to what they describe as the “Swiss way of life.”

“An absurd proposition”

On the other hand, the Swiss government, parliament, and business circles warn that adopting the proposal may cause direct harm to the national economy, which relies heavily on foreign labor and skills attracted from abroad, especially in the health care, pharmaceutical, finance, and technology sectors.

The Swiss Business Association “Economy Suisse” described the initiative as an “absurd proposal” that would undermine the country’s security and prosperity, while leaders in the “Swiss People’s Party” rejected these criticisms, considering that the open borders policy contributed to high crime rates and burdened the state.

Since the agreement on the free movement of individuals between Switzerland and the European Union entered into force in 2002, the population has increased by about 23%, in parallel with the growth of the economy by 24% during the same period, according to official data.

Experts confirm that passing the initiative will oblige the government to take strict measures as soon as the population approaches 9.5 million people, including tightening asylum, family reunification and residency policies, and perhaps reconsidering the freedom of movement agreement with the European Union.

Although most foreigners residing in Switzerland come from European countries, the immigration issue has for decades been the focus of a sharp political division within the country, as Swiss voters had previously supported in 2014, by a narrow margin, an initiative to limit “mass immigration.”