Switzerland to Hold Referendum on Capping Population at 10 Million

Swiss citizens will head to the polls on Sunday (14/6/2026) for a referendum to decide whether the country’s maximum population should be capped at 10 million people. The population cap referendum is being compared to the Brexit moment in Britain, as it could have broad consequences for the economy, immigration, and Switzerland’s relationship with the European Union. The right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) proposed the constitutional amendment, which would mandate that the population must not exceed 10 million by 2050. Official projections indicate that figure could be reached by the early 2040s. The proposal was driven by Swiss concerns over immigration, housing, and pressure on public services. Reuters reports that the plan and scheme for population restriction rules are unprecedented, yet the effort aligns with the rise of right-wing politics across Europe. Right-wing groups on the continent are also pushing for stricter immigration limits, fuelled by dissatisfaction over the cost of living, weak economic growth, and crime. “If it exceeds 10 million, there will be a crisis, and immigration must be restricted,” said Helen Gulea, a 58-year-old tailor from Kenya and part-time kiosk worker in Zurich, who voted by post in favour of the cap. Voting results are expected to start coming in on Sunday at midday local time, around 5 p.m. Western Indonesia Time. If the proposal is approved, it could lead Switzerland to cancel its free movement of labour agreement with the European Union, which currently supplies the majority of the country’s foreign workforce. Switzerland’s population, dominated by an ageing demographic, has already surpassed 9 million, and opinion polls show public sentiment is roughly balanced. The latest surveys indicate public opinion is leaning against the restriction proposal, even though earlier polls showed it was supported by citizens. Patrick Leisibach, a migration expert at the think-tank Avenir Suisse, said concerns are now widespread that excessive population density has strained public infrastructure to its limits. “There is a traditional anti-immigration voice on the right wing, but lately even many on the left are feeling the pressure,” he said. Swiss voters often reject measures perceived to harm long-term economic interests, but that tendency is becoming less predictable. In 2014, voters defied expectations by narrowly passing an SVP-backed proposal to limit EU immigration, though its impact was later watered down in the legislative process. Some SVP figures, however, say this proposal is not intended to end freedom of movement but serves as a warning. “I do not want freedom of movement to be terminated,” said Heinz Taennler, an SVP politician and finance director of the canton of Zug. “Another million people can still immigrate to Switzerland, but the government needs to take action.”