Swiss Voters Reject Proposal to Limit the Country’s Population in Referendum

European media report that, according to polls and early voting data, most referendum participants oppose the proposal to limit population growth by 2050.

The GFS Bern research institute estimates the share of opponents of the initiative at 55%.

The BBC also writes about this, citing the views of voters it interviewed. The main concern is that introducing such a cap would require Switzerland to withdraw from agreements on freedom of movement in Europe. That, in turn, could threaten the country’s access to European markets.

“Some voters appear to have been worried about the prospect of losing much-needed workers in tourism, hospitals and nursing homes. Others, particularly Swiss business leaders, feared the loss of Switzerland’s crucial access to the European single market,” the BBC writes.