Switzerland will hold a vote this summer on a proposal to limit the nation’s population to 10 million, representing the newest initiative by the country’s main right-wing party to tighten immigration controls.
The (SVP), which commands the largest number of parliamentary seats, declared the referendum on Wednesday after securing sufficient backing via petition signatures.
The initiative, scheduled for the national vote on June 14, arrives as the country’s population approached 9.1 million, per the Federal Statistics Office.
The anti-immigration campaign was proposed after officials recorded that the proportion now stands at about 27 percent of the population.
The SVP, which has consistently worked to limit growing migration, stated that over 1 million EU immigrants arrived in Switzerland during 2024.
The party described the situation as “uncontrolled immigration,” asserting that “the majority of Swiss residents suffer” from heightened strain on environmental resources and infrastructure.
“Our small country is bursting at the seams,” the party declared. “Nature is being paved over. Traffic jams are worsening, public transport is overstretched, schools are overwhelmed, , crime is rising dramatically, and costs for Swiss taxpayers are skyrocketing.”
Should the measure become law, the combined total of Swiss citizens and foreign residents would be prohibited from surpassing 10 million before 2050.
If the population hits 9.5 million beforehand, authorities could implement measures to slow growth through restrictions on asylum and family reunification, observing that numerous immigrants — mainly Muslim men from North Africa, the Middle East, and Afghanistan — gain entry via asylum claims.
Switzerland’s major political parties beyond the SVP, encompassing centrist, left-leaning, and liberal factions, have reportedly opposed the initiative.
Critics warned that approving such a measure could strain relations, as most foreign-born residents originate from other EU nations.
In reply, the SVP commented that legislators “could hardly have made it more obvious that they disregard the concerns of a populace that is progressively enduring the effects of uncontrolled immigration.”
The party also emphasized that they have no plans to end the “free movement of persons agreement with the EU,” which permits European citizens to cross borders and work freely, stating that such termination would only be a final option if the Federal Council does not succeed in curbing immigration.