The unusual vote proposes capping legal immigration to put a population limit of 10 million in Switzerland before the year 2050. If approved, the right-wing-supported “sustainability measure” would make Switzerland the first nation to impose this limit.
Key Takeaways:
SVP proposed a 10M population cap, straining infrastructure as Switzerland heads to a June 14 vote.Tamedia found 52% favor the law, signaling labor market shifts before Switzerland votes on June 14.Economiesuisse’s Pascal Wüthrich warns the cap will next block EU ties, threatening Swiss market prosperity by 2050.As immigration has become a relevant issue for European countries, governments have sought measures to curb its effects on local economies.
An initiative pushed by the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), a right-wing organization, proposes to address this issue directly by establishing a population limit enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
“Switzerland’s permanent resident population must not exceed ten million before 2050. From 2050 onwards, the Federal Council can adjust this limit annually by ordinance to account for the surplus of births over deaths. The federal government ensures that this limit is met.”
Furthermore, it would give the federal government the power to “take measures for sustainable population development, in particular to protect the environment and in the interest of the long-term preservation of natural resources, the efficiency of infrastructure, healthcare, and Swiss social security.”
According to a poll conducted in April by media group Tamedia and polling institute Leewas, 52% of the 16,176 citizens polled were in favor of this measure, 46% were against it, and 2% were undecided.
If passed, the measure would be the first of its kind in the whole world and could set a precedent for other countries to implement similar restrictions to protect their integrity.
Nonetheless, the proposal has also garnered opposition from economic groups like Economiesuisse, which labels it a “chaos initiative.” Pascal Wüthrich, Project Manager, Foreign Trade at Economiesuisse, highlights that the cap would put Switzerland on a collision course with the EU, as it would clash with the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons and restrict family reunification.
The referendum will take place on June 14.
