A recent public opinion survey in Switzerland found that 52% of respondents support or lean toward supporting a proposal to limit the population to no more than 10 million people. This limit is proposed for the year 2050, reflecting worries about rising immigration causing pressures on housing and infrastructure, ahead of a referendum scheduled for mid-June.
The latest survey, released on Wednesday (29 Apr) by media groups Tamedia and 20 Minuten, shows that a majority of Swiss are beginning to support the proposal to cap the country's population at 10 million. This marks the first time the poll indicates over half are in favor before the actual referendum on 14 June.
Based on a sample of more than 16,000 people, 52% agree or tend to support the referendum draft, while 46% oppose it and 2% remain undecided. Analysts find this surprising since Swiss referendum proposals typically lose popularity closer to voting day, but in this case, support has risen from 45% in early March.
The proposal was initiated by the Swiss People's Party (SVP), the country's largest and right-wing party, which states that the permanent resident population should not exceed 10 million before 2050. Currently, Switzerland's population is about 9.1 million, with over 27% being foreign nationals.
The proposal also requires the government to implement measures to reduce immigration, especially refugees. If the population nears the cap, Switzerland might need to suspend its free movement of workers agreement with the European Union (EU).
The Swiss government and business leaders have strongly opposed the proposal, calling it a "chaos-causing measure". They warn that if approved, it would harm the economy, particularly by causing labor shortages, as Switzerland heavily relies on foreign workers. This measure would make it harder for companies to find employees.
The government estimates economic losses amounting to several billion francs and predicts severe impacts on cooperation with the EU, with which Switzerland is currently negotiating to strengthen economic ties.
Supporters argue that the rapidly increasing population has exerted huge pressure on the housing market, driving up rents and causing overcrowding in public infrastructure—issues sensitive to Swiss citizens for a long time.
The referendum will take place on 14 June 2026 and will be a key indicator of whether Switzerland continues on a path of economic openness or chooses to close its doors to preserve internal stability as advocated by conservative groups.