Switzerland will hold a referendum on limiting its population. What you need to know

A referendum will be held in Switzerland on June 14, which may limit the permanent population of the country to 10 million people by 2050. If the initiative is approved, the country, which already has 9.1 million people, will introduce strict anti-migrant legislation and break agreements with the European Union. Opponents of the referendum warn that Switzerland will face economic difficulties if its population approves the limit. What you need to know about the first such vote in history is in the Izvestia article.

What is the referendum about?

• Swiss legislation is based on the principles of direct democracy, in which many issues related to the current situation in the country are put to national referendums. In order to organize a vote on any issue, it is enough to collect a petition with 100,000 signatures. Because of such a low threshold, referendums in Switzerland are held several times a year, and they sometimes affect even the most minor issues — in 2026, the Swiss decided in this way whether they needed to create a climate fund and whether to allow spouses to file separate tax returns.

• However, on June 14, the fate of the country may change dramatically due to the proposed initiative "No ten million in Switzerland." It is being promoted by the right-wing populist Swiss People's Party (SVP), which has the largest faction in the country's national council. She wants the Swiss constitution to be amended to limit the permanent population to 10 million people by 2050. Swiss citizens and foreigners who have a residence permit for more than 12 months or have already lived in the country for at least a year will be taken into account.

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• The initiative explicitly states that if the Swiss population exceeds 9.5 million people, strict measures will be introduced to limit the influx of foreigners. Switzerland will stop issuing residence permits and permanent residence permits, as well as granting citizenship. The government of the country will be able to review international agreements that now allow legal relocation to the country. Switzerland already has a population of 9.1 million people, and by 2055, according to current trends, it will amount to 10.5 million people.

Why is the referendum being held?

• The SVP party holds a strong anti-immigration position and has already conducted many of its own initiatives through referendums. In 2009, she secured a ban on the construction of minarets, and the following year passed a law on the deportation of criminal foreigners. The SVP also opposes interstate cooperation, criticizing any kind of integration with the UN, NATO and the European Union.

• Since 2002, when the agreement on the free movement of people with the European Union came into force, Switzerland's population has been growing rapidly. It increased by 1.7 million people at the expense of foreign workers and their family members. At the end of 2024, the share of foreigners in the Swiss population reached 27.4%, which is the highest in Europe, with the exception of dwarf countries. At the same time, 40% of the population has a migrant background.

• The sharp population growth due to the influx of migrants has caused a number of negative consequences in Switzerland. Residents of the country complain about high rents, waiting lists when viewing housing, and overcrowded transport. The SVP also points to negative consequences for the environment if the population continues to grow at the current rate.

What will be the consequences of the restrictions

• Supporters of the status quo point out that the restrictions imposed will cause great harm to the country's economy. Many companies attract foreign workers, as it is difficult to find employees with the necessary specialty in Switzerland, which is quite small in terms of the total population and rapidly aging. Unlike many European countries, where migrants are mostly low-skilled workers, refugees, and asylum seekers, Switzerland primarily attracts people with high levels of education and valuable skills that have a beneficial effect on the country's economy and provide it with a high standard of living.

• Population restriction measures will inevitably lead to a severe clash with the European Union, whose citizens make up an impressive proportion of migrants. If Switzerland breaks the free movement agreement, it could be the first step towards abandoning the common market, which provides it with access to 450 million consumers. This may be followed by an exit from the Schengen area, which will tightly close the borders between the European Union and Switzerland.

• Despite the fact that many political parties in Switzerland are calling for a vote against the restrictions, this idea is really popular among the country's indigenous people. Polls on the eve of the referendum show that the number of supporters and opponents of the limit is about the same and close to 50%.