Published on 6/14/2026
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Last update: 22:44 (Mecca time)
Economy Suisse, the most prominent business lobby group in Switzerland, welcomed Swiss voters’ rejection on Sunday of a referendum stipulating a minimum population of 10 million by 2025, as warnings of the economic damage that this shift in demographic policy might entail outweighed concerns about immigration.
Projections published by the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, which usually announces the results of referendums, showed that about 45% of voters supported the proposal, while 55% of them opposed it.
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This vote was likened to the British exit referendum from the European Union in 2016, or what is known as Brexit, and the referendum raised concern among Swiss companies for fear that it would end the freedom of movement of labor between Switzerland and the European Union countries.
Economy Suisse has previously warned that setting a population cap will restrict the entry of foreign workers, harm the economy, and strain relations with the European Union. The economic organization explained that the entry of skilled workers in sufficient numbers into Switzerland is essential for Swiss companies. The organization added in a statement, “The public has raised the yellow card in the face of politicians. We need strict enforcement of asylum laws and better exploitation of the local workforce.”
Economic estimation
In addition to warnings from some of the largest Swiss companies, several economists said the demographic proposal was threatening to impose a significant negative impact on growth and prosperity. A government study estimated that Switzerland’s economic output at the end of the century would be about 12% lower if the measure were passed.
Swiss Hotel Association President Martin von Moos said that rejecting the proposal to cap the country’s population “rejecting the initiative sends an important signal of Switzerland’s openness and connection to the world.”
Opponents described the referendum as a recipe for chaos due to the unrest it might cause. They also wondered whether it would be wise to clash with Brussels after the difficult year 2025, as US President Donald Trump imposed the highest US customs duties in Europe on Swiss goods.
Switzerland’s population currently stands at 9.1 million, and has grown much faster than neighboring European Union countries. Foreigners make up about 28% of Switzerland’s population, which official estimates expect will reach 10 million people by the early 1940s.
Patrick Lisbach, an expert on immigration affairs at the Avenir Suisse research center, said that economic arguments played a pivotal role, as people were afraid of the impact of voting “yes” on their daily lives. Lisbach added, “They are wondering: Who will serve me in the restaurant? Who will take care of me when I get old? It is more about personal well-being, which is what prompted people to reject this initiative.”
It seems that the economic risks were enough to convince the Swiss not to risk taking such a dramatic measure, which is consistent with an old trend in which Swiss voters have repeatedly sided with the interests of the business sector. Late last year, they rejected a special inheritance tax on rich citizens, and earlier they rejected increasing mandatory vacation days and approving a national minimum wage.
Relationship with the European Union
Urs Berry of the polling company GFS Bern told Reuters that the initiative proposed in the referendum was not approved because people were not convinced by the plan and were concerned about its potential side effects, despite major concerns about population growth.
He added, “Voters were concerned about the negative repercussions on Switzerland’s relationship with the European Union and on the labor market.”
Perry continued, “People are also concerned about matters such as providing a sufficient number of health care workers. There is also a feeling that in light of the current international climate, it does not make sense for a small country to take such a measure.”
