Swiss to vote on 10-million population cap in June
Swiss voters will vote on June 14 on the “No 10 Million Switzerland” initiative, proposed by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, which aims to curb immigration as the population nears 10 million, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Supporters of the proposal argue that current migration levels are placing unsustainable pressure on the country. They say a small economic elite benefits from large-scale immigration through access to cheaper labor, while the broader population bears the social and financial costs.
According to figures cited by supporters, 165,000 people immigrated to Switzerland last year. In addition, 25,781 asylum seekers and 12,897 people with temporary protection S status arrived, bringing total new arrivals to more than 200,000.
Backers of the initiative point to rising rents, crowded trains and roads, pressure on schools, and concerns about crime as visible effects of what they describe as uncontrolled immigration. They also say the country risks losing its identity if population growth continues at the current pace.
The proposal calls for preventing Switzerland’s population from reaching 10 million by 2050. Supporters say this would still allow net immigration of about 40,000 people per year, primarily skilled workers, while introducing stricter measures on asylum migration and family reunification.
They argue that illegal asylum migration should be halted and that extended family reunification under European Union rules should be limited. Since 2000, more than 650,000 people have entered Switzerland through the asylum system, according to the initiative’s proponents.
Business groups, including Economiesuisse and the Swiss Employers Association, have come out strongly against the initiative. They warn that restricting immigration would harm the economy and worsen labor shortages.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan and Austria will strengthen fight against illegal migration.
