Swiss Will Vote on 10-Million Population Cap Proposal in June

(Bloomberg) — Swiss voters will get to decide in June whether 10 million people is all the country can bear.

The proposal — backed by the right-wing People’s Party, or SVP — is going to a national vote after supporters gathered enough signatures under Switzerland’s direct democracy system.

Both the government and parliament are against the so-called “sustainability initiative” to cap the population, largely shutting out immigrants when the 10-million number is reached. Still, it has the support of about 48% of voters, according to a poll in December. The vote will take place on June 14, the government announced Wednesday.

Switzerland’s population has grown by some 70% since 1960 to 9.1 million, thanks largely to labor demand, and the attraction of high wages and quality of life. Campaigners for the population restriction argue that unchecked immigration has led to strained infrastructure and housing shortages.

But the initiative is particularly controversial as it would affect Switzerland’s free-movement pact with the surrounding European Union. This could cut off companies from talent abroad — which many have said is essential — and also threaten other connected treaties that give Swiss exporters access to the bloc’s single market.

Some of the high poll support for the initiative reflects both economic frustration, particular in relation to housing and other costs, amid anti-immigrant sentiment in the country.

“GDP per capita has not grown in the last three years and real wages have declined,” said Stefan Legge, a professor at the University of St Gallen. “Quite a few people are worse off now than they were three years ago. And then you look for someone to blame.”

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