Early projections indicate that a majority of voters rejected the so-called sustainability proposal, which aimed to establish a 10 million cap on the country’s population by 2050. Even so, 45.21% supported the initiative, even as it could risk access to European markets if passed.
Key Takeaways:
Switzerland voted 54.79% against the SVP initiative, next securing vital access to European markets.With 27.5% of residents being immigrants, Enmetena Advisory noted a no vote protects tax markets.Displaced International warned that a similar 10M cap proposal could return, keeping long-term market policy unstable.Switzerland has rejected a controversial initiative that would have amended the constitution to include a population cap of 10 million.
Surveys leading to the vote were divided, with early ones indicating that the proposal would pass. Nonetheless, the possible repercussions of this measure might have scared some supporters in the end.
The vote sharply divided the country in two, with supporters claiming that the goal was to lessen the pressure of increased immigration on the country’s transport and health infrastructure. Those who opposed it argued that, if passed, it would risk Switzerland’s access to European markets, including relevant economic groups.
The amendment would have given the Federal Council and Parliament power to “take measures, particularly in the areas of asylum and family reunification” if the permanent resident population exceeded 9.5 million before 2050. This could lead to the termination of the free movement of persons agreement with the European Union and other bilateral agreements to curb population growth.
