'We Have Had Enough': Rising Anti-Immigration Sentiment... Switzerland to Vote on 10 Million Population Cap

June 14 referendum... 25-year immigration limits
Passed despite opposition from government and parliament after 100,000 signatures
Growing tide of anti-immigrant sentiment across Europe

Switzerland, one of Europe’s wealthiest countries, will hold a national referendum this June on whether to cap its population at 10 million by 2050.

Swiss flag. Pixabay

According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 11th (local time), if the vote scheduled for June 14 passes, the Swiss government will be legally required to introduce measures over the next 25 years to restrict immigration. Switzerland’s current population is around 9 million.

Supporters of the referendum proposal argue that if the population exceeds 9.5 million, it should become more difficult for foreigners to obtain permanent residency, and that Switzerland’s agreement with the European Union (EU), which allows free movement between Switzerland and the European continent, must be revised. Switzerland is not a member of the EU.

The government and parliament both voted to oppose the proposal, but the referendum was automatically triggered after more than 100,000 citizens signed a petition.

The petition drive was led by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), which holds about one-third of the seats in the Swiss parliament. Supporters claim that overpopulation has overloaded infrastructure, driven up rents, and undermined regional identity. According to Swiss public broadcaster SRF, Thomas Matter, a Swiss People’s Party lawmaker, said during a parliamentary debate, “Our citizens have had enough.”

Opponents warn that a population cap would hurt the Swiss economy, make it harder to attract foreign workers needed to fill labor shortages, and could also damage relations with the EU. Centrist politician J?rg Grossen told SRF that a population cap would plunge Switzerland into “chaos and isolation.”

The Swiss government recommended rejecting the proposal in March last year. The seven-member Federal Council, which includes members of the Swiss People’s Party, warned that they prefer cooperation with the EU over confrontation, and that the initiative could have far-reaching consequences, including forcing Switzerland to withdraw from several international agreements.

Decades of continuous immigration have sparked backlash in parts of Swiss society. According to Swiss government statistics, about 40% of residents aged 15 and older are immigrants, most of whom are from other European countries.

A poll published last December by Swiss polling institute Liewas, commissioned by local media outlets, found that 48% of respondents supported capping the population at 10 million, while 41% were opposed.

As more than 1 million refugees fleeing war and poverty arrived in Europe between 2015 and 2016, anti-immigrant sentiment has steadily grown across the continent. Policies in many European countries have also become stricter: in November last year, the United Kingdom overhauled its refugee policy, extending the period required to obtain permanent residency from 5 years to up to 20 years, and scrapped mandatory support provisions for refugees.

In Germany, a comprehensive review of refugee policy has taken place since Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has been critical of accepting Afghan refugees, took office last May. The German government reportedly proposed in November last year to pay cash to Afghan refugees who had previously been promised entry and residence, on the condition that they give up their plans to immigrate.