Switzerland is set to hold a nationwide referendum this summer on whether to cap its population at 10 million by 2050, an initiative spearheaded by the right-wing, anti-immigration Swiss People’s Party (SVP). The party, which holds the largest number of seats in parliament, successfully collected enough signatures to bring the proposal to a vote, scheduled for 14 June.

The country currently has around 9.1 million residents, with approximately 30 percent born abroad, mostly from European Union countries, some of whom have acquired Swiss citizenship. The proposal aims to amend the constitution to ensure that if the population reaches 9.5 million before 2050, the government would implement measures to curb growth. These could include tighter controls on asylum, family reunification, and residency permits, as well as renegotiating international agreements that influence migration. Should the total population exceed 10 million, authorities would be required to take all measures necessary to comply with the cap, potentially including ending Switzerland’s free movement agreement with the EU.

Supporters argue that the cap would protect Switzerland’s environment, infrastructure, natural resources, and social systems from the pressures of population growth. Critics, including the Federal Council, most political parties, and business associations, warn that limiting migration could trigger labor shortages in essential sectors such as healthcare, construction, hospitality, and public transport. Economisuisse, a leading business group, labeled the proposal “the chaos initiative,” noting that Switzerland relies heavily on foreign workers and that restricting their presence could force companies to relocate abroad.

The SVP has long pursued stricter immigration limits, though previous efforts have failed at the ballot. A 2016 referendum to deport immigrants guilty of minor offenses automatically, and a 2020 initiative to end free movement with the EU, were both rejected by voters. Switzerland is part of the Schengen zone, allowing visa-free travel across 29 European countries, most of which are EU members. Switzerland, along with Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, is outside the EU but participates in this arrangement, connecting roughly 450 million people.