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One-third of the population is stateless
An initiative titled “No to a Switzerland of 10 Million!” was put to a nationwide vote after its supporters collected the required 100,000 signatures, Euronews reports. The initiative’s authors argue that rapid population growth, largely driven by immigration, is putting increased pressure on the housing market, transportation infrastructure, the education system, public services, and the environment.
According to official data, Switzerland’s population stood at approximately 9.1 million at the end of 2025. However, roughly 27% of the country’s residents do not hold Swiss citizenship.
Under the initiative, once the population reaches 9.5 million, parliament will be required to tighten rules on asylum and family reunification. If the population reaches 10 million, the government will be obligated to withdraw from the agreement on the free movement of citizens with the European Union.
Who Opposes Migration Restrictions and Why
The federal government, most parliamentary parties, and business representatives oppose the proposal. They warn that restricting migration could harm the country’s economy, which relies on foreign workers in many sectors.
Of particular concern is the initiative’s impact on relations with the European Union—Switzerland’s largest trading partner. In 2024, more than half of Swiss exports went to the EU market, with the volume of shipments exceeding 147 billion Swiss francs.
“Access to the European market is vital for us,” said Pierre-Yves Bonvin, CEO of textile equipment manufacturer Steiger. According to him, more than a third of the company’s employees in Switzerland are foreign nationals, and a shortage of skilled workers is forcing the company to hire staff in France and Germany.
Representatives of the hotel industry are also warning of the risks. Martin von Moos, head of the HotellerieSuisse association, noted that more than half of the industry’s workers are foreigners, and new restrictions could exacerbate the chronic labor shortage.
Rudolf Minsch, chief economist at Economiesuisse, called the initiative an attempt to offer a simple solution to complex problems. According to him, limiting the population will not eliminate the housing shortage or solve transportation difficulties, but could undermine the competitiveness of the Swiss economy.
