A proposal to limit Switzerland's population to under 10 million by 2050 was rejected in a national referendum.
According to Reuters and the Associated Press, Swiss voters on June 14 rejected the "No to 10 Million Swiss" proposal, with approximately 55% opposing and 45% supporting it. The voter turnout was about 59%.
The proposal aimed to keep the resident population below 10 million by 2050. If the population reached 9.5 million before that date, the government and parliament would have to implement restrictions in areas affecting population growth, such as refugee acceptance, family reunification immigration, and residence permits.
Led by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP), the proposal argued that an influx of external population burdens infrastructure in transportation, healthcare, and education, leading to rising rental costs and a dilution of national identity.
Switzerland's current population is about 9.1 million. Since the introduction of free movement of labor with the European Union in 2002, the population has increased by approximately 1.7 million, with foreigners making up about 28% of the total population. If current trends continue, Switzerland's population is expected to exceed 10 million by the early 2040s.
The government and business sectors opposed the proposal, arguing that immigration restrictions would hinder the availability of skilled labor across various industries, including healthcare, caregiving, finance, pharmaceuticals, and technology, and could disrupt relations with the EU, its largest trading partner.
Concerns were raised that exceeding a population of 10 million could lead to the termination of the free movement agreement with the EU. As a result, some referred to this vote as Switzerland's version of a "Brexit."
Voting results varied by region. Rural areas showed relatively more support for the proposal, while major cities like Geneva and the French-speaking western regions had a majority opposing it, leading to the overall rejection.
Although the proposal was defeated, the 45% support indicates that political debates surrounding immigration, housing costs, and public infrastructure pressures are likely to continue.
Meanwhile, another measure voted on the same day, which makes it more difficult to choose civilian service over military service, was approved. Switzerland, which operates a conscription system, has been tightening the requirements for switching to alternative service in light of growing security concerns in Europe.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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