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European country to vote on strict population cap

A poster reads 'we're too tight!' in a street in Lausanne, Switzerland — A poster reads 'we're too tight!' in a street in Lausanne, Switzerland (AP)

Switzerland is scheduled to hold a national vote in June on a proposal to cap its permanent resident population at 10 million.
The anti-immigration Swiss People's Party (SVP), which is behind the initiative, says it aims to protect the environment, natural resources, infrastructure, and the social safety net from strains of population growth.
The country's population was 9.1 million as of the third quarter of 2025, with around 30 percent of residents born abroad, predominantly from EU countries.
Should the population reach 9.5 million before 2050, the government would be required to implement measures to limit growth, including restrictions on asylum and residency permits.
Critics argue the proposal oversimplifies complex issues, highlighting Switzerland's reliance on foreign workers and potential breaches of international agreements, such as its involvement in the Schengen zone.

Switzerland to vote on capping its population at 10 million — In full