Switzerland to hold referendum on 10 million population cap proposal; Poll shows over half support
A poll released today shows that just over half of Swiss citizens support a proposal to cap Switzerland's population at 10 million, with the proposal set for a referendum and its support continuing to rise. The Swiss government opposes the proposal, arguing it would harm relations with the EU and damage the economy.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 29, 2026 at 22:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 29, 2026 at 23:01 (31 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 30, 2026 at 01:53 (2h 52m after Collected)
ZURICH (CNA) -- A poll released today shows that just over half of Swiss citizens support a proposal to cap Switzerland's population at 10 million, with the proposal set for a referendum and its support continuing to rise.
Reuters reported that the proposal, backed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP), will be put to a referendum on June 14. The Swiss government has expressed its opposition, arguing that the proposal would harm Switzerland's cooperation with the European Union and that restricting the labor market would damage the economy.
However, the survey, conducted jointly by Swiss media group Tamedia, "20 Minuten" and polling institute Leewas, shows that concerns about rapid population growth and pressure on public infrastructure have led many citizens to support the proposal.
This poll was conducted on April 22 and 23 and published in the Swiss newspaper "Tages-Anzeiger". The results show that among 16,176 respondents, 52% supported or leaned towards supporting the proposal, 46% opposed it, and the rest were undecided.
Tages-Anzeiger reported that a previous poll in early March showed only 45% supported the proposal and 47% opposed it. This means that the latest poll results are quite rare, as support for Swiss referendum proposals usually declines as the voting day approaches.
Switzerland's population currently exceeds 9 million; official data shows that as of 2024, the number of foreign residents accounts for more than 27%.
According to the referendum proposal, Switzerland's permanent resident population must not exceed 10 million by 2050, and Switzerland should terminate its free movement of persons agreement with the EU.
The Swiss People's Party is the largest party in the Swiss parliament and opposes further integration with the EU, believing it would threaten Swiss sovereignty and bring too many regulatory measures. (Translator: Kao Chao-fen / Editor: Hung Pei-ying) 1150429
Reuters reported that the proposal, backed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP), will be put to a referendum on June 14. The Swiss government has expressed its opposition, arguing that the proposal would harm Switzerland's cooperation with the European Union and that restricting the labor market would damage the economy.
However, the survey, conducted jointly by Swiss media group Tamedia, "20 Minuten" and polling institute Leewas, shows that concerns about rapid population growth and pressure on public infrastructure have led many citizens to support the proposal.
This poll was conducted on April 22 and 23 and published in the Swiss newspaper "Tages-Anzeiger". The results show that among 16,176 respondents, 52% supported or leaned towards supporting the proposal, 46% opposed it, and the rest were undecided.
Tages-Anzeiger reported that a previous poll in early March showed only 45% supported the proposal and 47% opposed it. This means that the latest poll results are quite rare, as support for Swiss referendum proposals usually declines as the voting day approaches.
Switzerland's population currently exceeds 9 million; official data shows that as of 2024, the number of foreign residents accounts for more than 27%.
According to the referendum proposal, Switzerland's permanent resident population must not exceed 10 million by 2050, and Switzerland should terminate its free movement of persons agreement with the EU.
The Swiss People's Party is the largest party in the Swiss parliament and opposes further integration with the EU, believing it would threaten Swiss sovereignty and bring too many regulatory measures. (Translator: Kao Chao-fen / Editor: Hung Pei-ying) 1150429