The Swiss government has officially scheduled a national referendum on the popular initiative “No to Ten Million Switzerland” for June 14, 2026. The initiative, put forward by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), calls for a legislative cap on the country’s permanent population of 10 million by 2050.
According to the proposal, once the population exceeds 9.5 million, federal authorities will be obliged to introduce strict restrictive measures. This will primarily include:
a significant reduction in the number of asylum seekers granted,
restrictions on family reunification for migrants,
and the possible revision or even denunciation of agreements with the EU on the free movement of people.
If the population nevertheless crosses the 10 million mark, the government will be required to use all available tools to reduce it, including withdrawing from international treaties that facilitate the influx of people.
Switzerland’s current population is approximately 9.1 million. Over the past 10-15 years, it has grown by approximately 10-12%, primarily due to immigration. The SVP and its supporters argue that further growth leads to:
an acute housing shortage,
overburdening of transport infrastructure,
rising real estate prices,
a deterioration in the quality of life in cities.
Polls conducted in December 2025 showed that approximately 48% of citizens were prepared to support the idea of a “demographic ceiling”—a very high figure for such a radical proposal.
The government, parliament, and most economic organizations are categorically opposed to the initiative. They warn that implementing the proposal would:
deal a severe blow to the economy,
restrict the influx of qualified specialists,
jeopardize bilateral agreements with EU countries,
and make Switzerland less attractive to international companies and banks.
The June 14 referendum will be one of the most crucial votes in recent years and will effectively determine how far Switzerland is willing to go in tightening its immigration policy amid a Europe-wide rise in anti-immigrant sentiment.