Estimates on the Swiss referendum: a clear “no” to limiting the population to 10 million inhabitants
A majority of the Swiss rejected an anti-immigration initiative at the polls on Sunday that proposed limiting the country's population, according to a projection published by the polling institute gfs.bern after the polls closed, reports AFP, according to News.ro.
There is a “trend toward no,” gfs.bern announced on X.
However, the trend gives an advantage to the government's project, which aims to tighten the conditions for access to civil service, in order to preserve the priority character of military service.
Also, Reuters writes that according to the preliminary projections of the national television station SRF, Swiss voters are about to reject the proposal to limit the country's population to 10 million inhabitants in the referendum organized on Sunday. A projection published by SRF indicated that approximately 45% of voters were in favor of the proposal, and 55% were against it.
The likely rejection shows that most voters prioritized economic stability and the country's relations with the European Union, over concerns that immigration puts pressure on public services, drives up rents and fuels crime.
The referendum, which has been compared to Britain's 2016 Brexit vote, has put companies on alert over fears it could lead to the end of the free movement of labor between Switzerland and the EU, its main trading partner.
The proposal, backed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party, stated that the population should not exceed 10 million by 2050 and that, if this happens for two years, Switzerland should abandon the free movement agreement with the EU.
The Swiss population already stands at 9.1 million and has grown much faster than in neighboring EU countries. Foreigners make up almost 28% of the Swiss population, which, according to official projections, will reach 10 million by the early 2040s.
Polls had predicted a close result, and the result matched a final poll by the GSF Bern institute, which had predicted the proposal would be narrowly defeated.
However, the substantial support for the measure joins growing support for policies aimed at limiting immigration across Europe. Campaign posters proclaimed that only 10% of immigrants were skilled workers and that asylum seekers were more likely to be rapists.
Opponents have described the plan as a recipe for chaos because of the turmoil it would cause for Swiss companies, employees and Bern's ties to the EU.
They also questioned whether it was wise to clash with Brussels after a tough 2025, when President Donald Trump imposed Europe's highest US tariffs on Swiss goods.
Patrick Leisibach, a migration expert at the Avenir Suisse think tank, said economic arguments played an important role, with people worried about how a “yes” vote would affect their daily lives. “People ask themselves 'who will serve me at the restaurant?' and “who will take care of me when I get old?”. It's more a matter of personal well-being that led people to reject this initiative,” explained Leisibach.
