Swiss voters have rejected a plan to limit the country's population to no more than 10 million people, citing concerns about losing workers and missing opportunities to access the European market.
Foreign news agencies reported that Swiss referendum voters have decided to reject the proposal to cap the country's population at 10 million. Although not all votes have been counted, current trends show 55% voting against and 45% in favor.
The proposal came from the Swiss People's Party, a right-wing political party that has long campaigned against immigration, even though this plan could jeopardize the free movement agreement between Switzerland and the European Union (EU).
Switzerland's population has grown rapidly since 2002, when it was 7.3 million, rising now to 9.1 million, with 27% of that number not holding Swiss citizenship.
However, the Swiss People's Party's argument that limiting population growth would ease pressure on public transport, housing, and the environment has not been persuasive enough to win over voters.
Although the Swiss People's Party insists that population limits aim to protect public services and the environment, the party has a long history of campaigning against immigrants and often blames refugees and minority ethnic groups for social problems.
Some referendum voters expressed clear concerns about the likely loss of much-needed labor in sectors like tourism, hospitals, and elder care.
Meanwhile, other groups, especially Swiss business leaders, fear losing access to the European single market, which is vital since over half of Swiss products are sold to the EU. To maintain this access, Switzerland must comply with the EU's free movement of workers agreement.
If the population limit proposal had passed, Switzerland would have had to immediately cancel that agreement.
Additionally, some voters might worry that this plan could isolate the country amid current global instability. Recently, Switzerland has increased its defense budget and is seeking closer security coordination with Europe.
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Source:bbc