Majority of Swiss Back Population Cap Initiative Ahead of June Vote
Swiss Referendum on Population Cap: Public Opinion and Political Implications
Growing Support for Population Cap Initiative
ZURICH, April 29 (Reuters) - A slim majority of Swiss are backing an upcoming referendum proposal to limit Switzerland's population to 10 million, and support for it is growing, an opinion poll showed on Wednesday.
Government Opposition and Economic Concerns
The government has rejected the initiative backed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP) being put to voters on June 14, saying it will hurt cooperation with the European Union and damage the economy by restricting the labour market.
Public Concerns Over Infrastructure
But concern about rapid population growth and pressure on public infrastructure is encouraging many Swiss to support the proposal, the survey by media group Tamedia with newspaper "20 Minuten" and polling institute Leewas showed.
Demographic Data and Foreign Nationals
Switzerland's population is now more than 9 million, with official data showing foreign nationals accounted for more than 27% by 2024.
Polling Results and Trends
The survey, conducted on April 22 and 23 and published in newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, showed 52% of 16,176 respondents in favour of the proposal or leaning that way, while 46% took the opposite view. The rest gave no opinion.
Comparisons with Previous Polls
A previous poll from early March had shown 45% backing the initiative and 47% against it, the newspaper said, flagging the latest result as unusual in that Swiss referendum proposals generally lose support as the voting day comes closer.
Margin of Error
The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Details of the Population Cap Proposal
Under the proposal, the permanent resident population must not exceed 10 million before 2050, and Switzerland should abandon its freedom of movement agreement with the EU.
Broader Political Context
Swiss lawmakers are debating a Swiss-EU deal struck in late 2024 to deepen economic ties, after a challenging 2025 that saw Switzerland unexpectedly hit with the highest U.S. trade tariffs in Europe.
SVP's Stance on EU Relations
The SVP, Switzerland's biggest party, opposes closer integration with the EU, seeing it as a threat to Swiss sovereignty and a source of excess regulation.
(Reporting by Dave Graham; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
