A right-leaning political party in Switzerland has proposed to limit the population of the wealthy European nation to 10 million until 2050, including foreign nationals and native-born residents.
The proposal, put forth by the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), will be voted on by Swiss nationals age 18 and older this Sunday, and the latest polling suggests the results will be close as many residents have grown frustrated by surging cost of living amid a yearslong push to attract skilled foreign workers to the country.
Since 2000, the foreign-born population of Switzerland has increased from about one in five residents to one in three — compared to one in six in the US, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The pronounced demographic shift is due in large part to finance minister Heinz Tännler’s multi-year effort to encourage highly skilled immigrants to take up residence in the mountainous nation, whose population currently stands at 9.1 million.
If passed, SVP’s “No to a 10 million Switzerland” proposal would take effect in phases.
Once the population hits 9.5 million, the government would restrict family unifications for immigrant residents and new asylum seekers, according to the outlet.
If it reaches the 10 million mark, Bern, Switzerland’s de facto capital city, would be constitutionally bound to renounce its free-movement agreement with the European Union, which allows EU citizens to live, work and purchase property in Switzerland provided they meet certain income or financial independence requirements.
Western politicians have long lauded the benefits of mass immigration, selling it as a panacea to address everything from labor shortages to slumping productivity growth.
However, the influx of foreign-born newcomers has come with unanticipated effects like increased housing costs and putting a strain on social services resources.
Opponents of the proposal argue instituting a population cap could harm the Swiss economy — which is highly dependent on international trade — create uncertain conditions for businesses and exacerbate existing labor shortfalls.
Switzerland narrowly passed a 2014 vote that was meant to implement quotas on foreign-born residents, however, it never fully took effect as the Swiss parliament found a loophole in order to preserve ties with the EU, according to the Journal.
