Twenty initiatives in 60 years: Switzerland’s relentless immigration debate

Immigration has made Switzerland more prosperous, but at the same time it has become one of the most contentious political issues.

Immigration has boosted Switzerland’s economy but repeatedly challenged its political system. Yet the arguments in this debate have barely changed over the decades.

In the 1960s Italian workers came to Switzerland. They were vital to the economy but often faced resentment. Parts of the population spoke of an “influx of foreigners” (Überfremdung, literally “overforeignisation”), referring to what they saw as an excessive number of foreigners.

Many of the past arguments are echoed in those heard today. The population is growing rapidly, and the rise and impact of migration are clearly felt. At the same time, these developments are taking place amid rapid social and technological change.

The global population has never grown faster than in the 1960s, and rarely has social change felt as tangible as it does today. Switzerland is constantly reshaping itself, giving rise to recurring feelings of alienation – an issue that has been addressed time and again over the past 60 years.

“Direct democracy brings grassroots resistance to the fore. It has made Switzerland a pioneer in migration criticism,” says political scientist Michael Hermann, adding that the migration debate has constantly reflected migration dynamics.

1968: first initiative against an “influx of foreigners”

The first such citizens’ initiative was launched in 1965 by the “Zurich Democrats” party.

In 1965 the Zurich Democrats submitted their first popular initiative demanding that “the number of foreign residents and permit holders must not exceed one tenth of the resident population”. “To counter the danger of an influx of foreigners, the number of foreign residents must be reduced by at least 5% annually while respecting humanitarian principles.” The initiators withdrew their proposal when the government announced countermeasures.

1970: Schwarzenbach initiative “against the influx of foreigners”

After that, the citizens’ movement “National Action Against the Overforeignisation of the Population and Homeland” takes the lead.

This was the moment when the “National Action against the Overforeignisation of the Population and Homeland” emerged. Under its figurehead James Schwarzenbach, the party’s one goal was to limit immigration. After the Zurich Democrats had withdrawn their proposal, Schwarzenbach launched his own initiative dubbed the Schwarzenbach initiative. It aimed to limit the number of foreigners to 10% of the total population. Had it passed, 350,000 people would have had to leave the country. Put to a vote in 1970, it was rejected by 54% of voters.

One reason for the result was the government’s response. Three months before the vote, it introduced immigration quotas setting concrete limits on inflows. When workers were needed, the quotas were raised; when jobs were scarce, they were tightened, forcing migrant workers to leave the country again.

1974: initiative “against the influx of foreigners and overpopulation in Switzerland”

The initiative “against the influx of foreigners and overpopulation in Switzerland” called for the number of “foreigners” to be reduced to 500,000.

After 1970 further popular votes focusing on the number of foreigners followed. The “initiative against the influx of foreigners and overpopulation in SwitzerlandExternal link” called for the number of foreigners to be reduced to 500,000 and capped it at no more than 12% of the population. Once again, it was launched by the National Action, but this time without James Schwarzenbach. It was rejected by 66% of voters.

1977: fourth “initiative against the influx of foreigners”

James Schwarzenbach campaigned on the basis of his own popular initiative “to protect Switzerland”.

Schwarzenbach launched another initiative “for the protection of SwitzerlandExternal link”. He deemed the 1974 initiative too radical and aimed to convince the population with a more moderate proposal. This fourth initiative on the influx of foreigners called for the share of foreigners to be reduced to 12.5% of the population within ten years. Had it passed, around 300,000 foreigners would have had to leave the country. It was rejected by 70.5% of voters.

1981: Mitenand movement for “a more open migration policy”  

Four right-wing initiatives against the ‘dominance of foreigners’ have sparked a backlash from the left.

The four “influx of foreigners initiatives” triggered some counterreactions. In 1981 the Mitenand (together) movementExternal link was put to a vote. Launched by the political left and religious groups, it aimed to strengthen legal protection for foreign residents. The proposal was rejected by 80% of voters. Subsequent surveys suggested that an “elusive fear of an influx of foreigners” had led to the result.

1984: initiative “against selling off the homeland“

The ‘National Action against the Overforeignisation of the Population and Homeland’ has resumed its activities.

The National Action returned to the political stage. This time, it sought to stop foreigners from buying landExternal link in Switzerland. A striking image of a crocodile devouring Switzerland echoed the visual language of later campaigns by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party. The initiative was rejected by 51% of voters.

1988: initiative “to cap immigration”

The National Action made a further attempt to restrict immigration.

The National Action launched another attemptExternal link to cap immigration. It demanded that net immigration be reduced so that fewer people move to Switzerland than leave. “The environment can no longer cope with further immigration! Land, water, air – the loss of agricultural land and rising waste production will lead to unsolvable problems in a Switzerland of seven million people,” the campaign pamphletExternal link stated. The initiative was rejected by 67% of voters.

1996: initiative “against illegal immigration”

In the early 1990s, Switzerland already had the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals, which set out the conditions for their residence in the country.

In the early 1990s a new law on foreign nationals introduced residence regulations incorporating elements of earlier initiatives. The migration debate then shifted to asylum. An initiative launched by the “Swiss Democrats” called for the expulsion of asylum-seekers, but it never made it to a vote as parliament deemed it incompatible with international law. The Swiss People’s Party, led by Christoph Blocher, later put it to voteExternal link in a legally compliant form. The initiative called for asylum claims by people who had entered the country illegally not to be processed. It was rejected by 54% of voters.

2000: initiative “for regulating immigration”

Before the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons between Switzerland and the EU came into force, immigrants from EU countries were required to obtain a permit, and immigration itself was also subject to quotas.

Until the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons was signed with the European Union, migrants needed a permit and were subject to certain quotas. Many were allowed to stay only for one season. These regulations were abolished when the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons came into force in 2002. From then on, those who found a job in Switzerland were allowed to stay and bring their families. The so-called 18% initiativeExternal link sought to limit the share of foreign workers to 18%. It was rejected by 64% of voters.

2002: initiative “against abuse of asylum rights”

The initiative was rejected by 50.1% of the vote.

This second asylum initiativeExternal link launched by the People’s Party sought to address scepticism among parts of the Swiss population towards people fleeing the Balkan wars. It called for asylum-seekers who arrived in Switzerland via safe third countries to be denied access to asylum procedures. The initiative was rejected by 50.1%of voters.

2008: initiative “for democratic naturalisation”

The initiative was rejected by 66% of the public.

The number of foreigners seeking Swiss citizenship has been growing, but hurdles remain high. In many municipalities, decisions on citizenship are made in local assemblies. The Federal Court overturned one such decision after a municipal assembly refused to grant citizenship to a family from Kosovo. In response, the People’s Party’s naturalisation initiativeExternal link called for municipalities to have the final say on citizenship applications. It was rejected by 66% of voters.

2009: initiative “to ban the contruction of minarets”

2009: Against the construction of minarets.

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the rise of Islamist-motivated terrorism in Europe, concerns about security also grew in Switzerland. Islam became a political issue. At the same time, plans to build mosques with minarets emerged in several places. The 57.5% yes vote on this initiativeExternal link came as a surprise and attracted international attention.

2010: initiative “to expel foreign criminals”

The issue of crime was already at the heart of the People’s Party’s next migration initiative.

The People’s Party’s next initiative focused on crime, calling for the deportation of all foreigners convicted of serious offences. In parliament, critics warned that the deportation initiativeExternal link could violate international law and developed a more moderate counterproposal. Opponents also criticised the People’s Party’s campaign as racist and xenophobic. It was accepted by 52.3% of voters.

2014: initiative “against mass immigration”

The initiative was approved by 50.3%, after which a debate raged in the country for years over exactly how this decision should be implemented.

After a series of successful migration initiatives, the People’s Party turned its attention to the free movement of people with the EU. With its mass immigrationExternal link initiative, it called for Switzerland to regain control over immigration through quotas, even risking a potential rift with the EU. Following its narrow approval by 50.3% of voters, the initiative triggered years of dispute over its implementation.

2014: initiative “to stop overpopulation”

The initiative was rejected by 74% of the public.

The politically independent environmental organisation Ecopop sought, among other things, to limit immigration to a maximum of 0.2% of the total population per year. The initiators blamed immigration and population growth for environmental problems. It was rejected by 74%of voters.

2016: initiative “to implement the initiative to expel foreign criminals”

The initiative was rejected by 59%.

Following the approval of the 2010 deportation initiative, government and parliament were tasked with implementing the will of the people but faced legal hurdles. To increase pressure, the People’s Party put its implementation initiativeExternal link to a vote. It proposed a detailed list of criminal offences that would automatically lead to deportation. The initiative was rejected by 59% of voters.

2020: initiative for “moderate immigration”

The initiative was rejected by 62% of the public.

To push for the implementation of the initiative against mass immigration, the People’s Party brought yet another proposal to the ballot targeting free movement with the EU. The limitation initiativeExternal link called for an end to it. In its campaign, the party warned of a “ten-million Switzerland” as well as urban sprawl, rising crime and increased pressure on infrastructure. It was rejected by 62% of voters.

2021: initiative for a “burka ban”

The initiative was approved by 51%.

After the approval of the minaret ban, the same political group linked to the People’s Party, the Egerkinger Committee, launched another initiative targeting Islam. While the proposal called for a ban on full facial coverings, including for protesters and hooligans, the campaign’s central image depicted a Muslim woman wearing a burka. According to a post-vote analysis, supporters were primarily motivated by a desire to protect Swiss values and culture. It was approved by 51% of voters.

2026: initiative “no to ten million”

The initiative concerns both asylum matters and the free movement of persons between Switzerland and the European Union.

With the “no to ten million” initiative, which will be put to the vote on June 14, the People’s Party brings together concerns it has repeatedly addressed in the past. It targets both the asylum system as well as the free movement of people. Once again, the party argues in terms of limits to growth, crime and preserving Switzerland in the face of feared changes.

This is certainly not the end of the story, not least because the People’s Party has long used migration to fuel its election campaigns. It is already gathering signatures for its initiative to protect borders, which once again targets the asylum system.

Edited by Samuel Jaberg. Adapted from German by Billi Bierling/ts

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