Swiss Government Rejects 10 Million Population Cap, Citing Economic RisksSwiss Government Urges Rejection of Population Cap InitiativeBackground and ContextZURICH, March 16 (Reuters) - The Swiss government on Monday pressed the electorate to reject an initiative aimed at restricting the population to 10 million, which it argues will jeopardise cooperation with the European Union and damage the economy. Details of the InitiativeUnder the plan, the permanent resident population must not exceed 10 million before 2050, and Switzerland should abandon its freedom of movement agreement with the EU. The SVP, Switzerland's biggest party, opposes closer integration with the EU, seeing it as a threat to Swiss sovereignty and saddling the country with excess regulation. Government and Opposition ResponseThe population is now over 9 million, and the governing Federal Council said the initiative threatens prosperity, internal security and Switzerland's humanitarian traditions. As of 2024, foreign nationals made up more than 27% of the Swiss population, according to official data.

Source: The Guardian March 16, 2026 11:21 UTC