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World
Swiss citizens will vote on a proposal to limit the country's population to 10 million by 2050, a measure with potential economic and EU relations impacts.
On Sunday, Swiss voters will cast their ballots on a proposal aiming to set a maximum population limit for the country, in a referendum compared to Britain's Brexit vote. This decision could have significant consequences for Switzerland's economy and its relationship with the European Union.
The constitutional amendment, introduced by the right-wing Swiss People's Party, stipulates that the population must not exceed 10 million by the year 2050. The proposal arises amid concerns about immigration, pressure on public services, and housing availability.
Official forecasts indicate that Switzerland is on track to reach this population figure by the early 2040s.
This unprecedented proposal emerges within a broader context of increasing efforts by Europe's political right to impose stricter immigration controls, amid public dissatisfaction with the cost of living, sluggish economic growth, and crime rates.
Switzerland has also announced a plan to increase its value-added tax rate for ten years to boost defense spending, as it reevaluates its stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Helene Joli, a 58-year-old part-time worker at a shop in Zurich originally from Kenya, who voted by mail in favor of the population cap, stated, "If the number exceeds 10 million, conditions will become difficult. Immigration should be restricted."
Voting results are expected to begin emerging from 12:00 noon Swiss time (10:00 GMT).
If the proposal passes, reaching the 10 million population threshold would initiate a process potentially leading Switzerland to terminate its free movement of workers agreement with the European Union, whose member states supply a significant portion of the workforce in this mountainous country.
Switzerland's current population already exceeds nine million, and polls indicate a sharp division among voters on this issue.
A recent survey conducted this month showed declining support for the proposal after an earlier poll had suggested it might pass.
