Switzerland Will Hold a Referendum on Capping the Population at 10 Million

The initiative to limit migration and the size of the resident population was put forward by the right-wing conservative Swiss People’s Party, which holds around one-third of the seats in the Federal Assembly. The petition was launched back in 2024.

The government and parliament opposed the proposal, but the referendum was scheduled automatically after the initiative was backed by more than 100,000 citizens—as required by Switzerland’s system of direct democracy.

If approved, the authorities would be obliged to gradually curb immigration through 2050. Once the population exceeds the 9.5 million threshold, the state would be required to tighten the rules for granting permanent residency to foreigners and to review the agreement on the free movement of people with the European Union, of which Switzerland is not a member. The country’s population currently stands at around nine million.

Supporters of the initiative argue that population growth has already led to overstretched infrastructure, an erosion of local identity, and a sharp rise in rental costs.

Opponents warn that such measures could hurt the economy, complicate the recruitment of foreign labor, and strain relations with the European Union.

According to a poll conducted by two Swiss media groups in December 2025, 48% of the country’s residents support introducing a population cap, while 41% are opposed.