There will be no population limit in Switzerland. The Swiss people have rejected a proposal to this effect in a referendum. 55 percent voted against the plan.
According to the proposal, the population should have remained below 10 million at least until 2050. If the Swiss had agreed, the Alpine country would have been the first country in the world with such a limit.
The plan came from the right-wing conservative Swiss People’s Party (SVP), out of concern about immigration and the increasing pressure on public services, infrastructure and the housing market. According to the proposal, the government should take action, especially in the areas of asylum and family reunification, when there are more than 9.5 million inhabitants. The country now has a population of 9.1 million.
Opponents feared a shortage of foreign workers. The relationship with the EU would also come under pressure, because the free movement of people would be restricted.
LISTEN ALSO to our daily news podcast Join the conversation with AD
WATCH ALSO to our most popular news videos: