Switzerland has voted against a referendum proposal that would have capped the country’s population at 10 million, becoming the first country in the world to put such a measure to a national vote.
Voters cast their final ballots on Sunday, with the result showing just over 45 per cent in favour of the cap and just under 55 per cent against. The proposal, known as the “sustainability initiative,” was put forward by the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), the largest party in the Swiss parliament, which argued that the country’s infrastructure, housing, social programmes, natural resources and way of life had come under strain from population growth.
The initiative reflected the SVP’s longstanding anti-migration stance, particularly its concerns about the influx of workers from neighbouring European Union countries. Critics of the proposal argued that introducing a population cap would have damaged Switzerland’s relationship with the EU, by far its largest trading partner, and pointed to the contribution made by migrant labour and skills to key sectors such as healthcare and finance.
Switzerland’s system of direct democracy allows voters a direct say in shaping national policy through referendums, which are typically held several times a year on a range of issues. Sunday’s vote marked the first time any country had put a hard population cap to a national referendum.
