Swiss voters reject right-wing's bid to cap population at 10 million,
early results show
[June 15, 2026]
By JAMEY KEATEN
GENEVA (AP) — Nearly 55% of voters in Switzerland on Sunday rejected an
initiative championed by the top right-wing party to cap the rich Alpine
country’s population at 10 million, early results showed.
The populist Swiss People's Party, which has the most seats in
parliament, has stirred up and fostered anti-migration sentiment over
the years, notably about an influx of workers from the neighboring
European Union.
Some have dubbed the proposal a “Swiss Brexit” because it could
jeopardize Switzerland’s deep ties to the European Union anchored by
deals that foster economic growth, cultural ties and cross-border
travel, among other things. Switzerland is not one of the EU’s 27 member
states, but it is all but surrounded by four of them
Recent polling from the gfs.bern agency suggested that it could be a
close contest.
Preliminary results shared by the federal government showed that nearly
55% of voters rejected the proposal, with nationwide turnout almost 59%.
Results were still pending from many of Switzerland’s 26 cantons.
Right-wing party says Swiss way of life strained by growing
population
The number of people living in Switzerland has soared by nearly
one-quarter over the last generation, and foreigners today make up
nearly one-third of the population.
Critics say the boom in migration has brought foreign labor and skills
to sectors such as healthcare, finance, pharmaceuticals, and technology.
The right-wing party put forward the “sustainability initiative”
measure, saying Swiss infrastructure, housing, social programs, natural
resources and way of life have been strained by the spike in demographic
growth.
The federal government, Parliament and EconomieSuisse, a major business
association, oppose the idea.
In Geneva, Switzerland's second-largest city and a hub of U.N.
institutions and humanitarian groups, early results showed about
two-thirds of voters in the region opposed the measure.
Maria Lalu, a former diplomatic mission worker from the Philippines who
arrived in Switzerland in the early 1980s, said she supported the
proposal. “I have nothing against immigration. I also am a stranger,”
she said after casting her vote, adding that she wants immigration to be
more orderly.
Schoolteacher Natascha Robert said she voted against the bid, expressing
concern that approval could hurt Switzerland's relationship with the EU.
She also said Switzerland's growing diversity is an asset.
“I think people always have something to bring us," she said outside a
polling station in the central Paquis neighborhood, emphasizing that she
was born in Switzerland to two Swiss parents. “Does that mean that we
have more foreigners, I feel less Swiss? Really, not.”
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Members of the Federal Parliament and other representatives of civic
organizations, celebrate during a get together of a cross-party
alliance against the SVP's popular initiative "No 10-Million
Switzerland" which the people and the cantons voted on this election
Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Bern, Switzerland. (Alessandro della
Valle/Keystone via AP)
International migration is a controversial issue across Europe
Swiss democracy gives voters a direct say in policymaking through
referendums typically held four times a year. Most ballots are cast
through the mail, and in-person voting ended at noon local time on
Sunday.
A “yes” vote would require the Swiss government to take action to
cap the population by 2050.
If the population reaches 9.5 million before then, the government
would be forced to restrict asylum, family reunification and
residency permits, and may have to scrap Switzerland’s EU deal on
the free movement of people.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has
reported that Switzerland had a foreign-born population of 32% as of
2024, behind only Luxembourg and Australia among the group's 38
member countries.
International migration has long been a sensitive issue in Europe,
as nations grapple with an aging population and increasing
anti-foreigner sentiment. While that sentiment in other European
countries centers on migrants from the developing world, most
foreigners in Switzerland are Europeans.
Since Switzerland and the EU eased restrictions on citizens living
and working across their borders in 2002, the Swiss population has
grown by 23%, to 9.1 million as of the end of last year. Economic
output has also increased, up 24% over the same period, government
data show.
Swiss voters have repeatedly tackled the immigration issue over the
last half-century. Only one such referendum — “Against mass
immigration” in 2014 — narrowly passed, after campaigners stoked
fears about overpopulation and rising numbers of Muslims in the
country.
While many countries have limits on immigration, none has ever voted
to limit its population, Swiss experts say.
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