A poster reading “To break away from Europe at a time like this – No to the Vice President’s Chaos Initiative”, featuring images of President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, urging people to vote against the Swiss People’s Party referendum titled “No to a Switzerland of 10 million” photographed in Bern, May 18, 2026. (Christian Beutler/Keystone via AP)
Swiss voters will decide on Sunday whether to support a controversial proposal to limit the country’s population, in a closely watched referendum that has sharply divided opinion across political and economic lines.
The result of the vote, which is part of Switzerland’s direct democracy system, is expected to be close, as polls indicate that there is no clear result before the vote.Read also: Why does Switzerland vote to limit its population to 10 million?Voting booths will only be open for a few hours before closing at noon (1000 GMT/3:30 p.m. EDT). Most votes have already been cast by mail, while the first results are expected by mid-afternoon.The far-right Swiss People’s Party put forward the initiative entitled “No to Switzerland of 10 million people!”.Here’s everything you need to know:
- The proposal seeks to prevent Switzerland’s population from exceeding 10 million (one crore) before 2050.
- Its population currently stands at about 9.1 million (91 lakh), up from 7.3 million (73 lakh) in 2002 and 8.3 million (83 lakh) a decade ago.
- More than a quarter of the population (27%) is foreign-born, making immigration a major driver of growth.
- Critics say the measure could harm industries that rely on foreign workers and strain Switzerland’s relations with the European Union (Switzerland is not a member of the bloc).
- If the measure is adopted, the Swiss government could eventually be required to terminate the free movement of people agreement with the European Union, which provides Switzerland with most of its workforce.
- However, the SVP, Switzerland’s largest political party, believes “radical measures” are needed to curb what it calls “mass migration.”
- The party blames immigration for a range of challenges, including housing shortages, rising rents, overcrowded trains and traffic congestion.
- Despite widespread opposition from the government, parliament and business groups, the proposal was voted on nationwide through Switzerland’s system of direct democracy.
- Under Swiss law, any initiative that collects at least 100,000 signatures from eligible voters within 18 months can be put to a public referendum.
- Opinion polls suggest the referendum may be hotly contested, although recent surveys indicate that opposition to the proposal has gained a slight lead.
- According to CNN, citing pollster gfs.bern, 52% of respondents oppose the population cap, giving the No camp a slim lead ahead of Sunday’s vote.
Military service referendumSwiss voters will also decide to hold a referendum challenging a parliamentary bill that would make access to the civil service more difficult. This proposal comes as European countries seek to strengthen their armed forces amid growing security concerns in the wake of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.Switzerland has compulsory military service for men, although those who object to this on conscientious grounds can choose civil service instead. The government says the growing number of people choosing civil service has become a concern, while opponents warn the changes could undermine the established alternative to military service. Opinion polls indicate that the vote here, too, is likely to be close.
