Switzerland is preparing for a vote on limiting immigration to stop population growth before it reaches ten million by 2050, Schengen Visa Info reports.
Thanks to the country’s direct democracy system, citizens can initiate a popular vote by collecting 100,000 valid signatures within 18 months.
On Wednesday, the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) submitted 114,600 signatures to the Federal Chancellery in Bern, reaching its goal twice as fast as expected. Once the signatures are reviewed and verified, there is usually a long period, often stretching for months or even years, before a referendum takes place.
At the end of 2022, Switzerland’s resident population stood at 8.82 million, significantly higher than the 8.54 million registered at the end of 2018. Notably, foreigners make up a quarter of the country’s population.
Switzerland’s resident population consists of Swiss citizens living within the country and foreigners who have either secured a residence permit for at least one year or have been in the country for at least 12 months.
According to local media reports, if the population exceeds 9.5 million by 2050, the Swiss government and parliament will take drastic measures, in particular focusing on asylum and family reunification policies to enforce the rules. If these measures fail to effectively address the problem, Switzerland may consider withdrawing from the agreement on the free movement of people with the EU.
Switzerland has been part of the Schengen area with open borders since 2008, although it is not a member of the EU. The decision to regulate immigration comes amid ongoing negotiations between Switzerland and the EU.
The SVP sees the initiative as a direct response to a number of immigration-related problems, including housing shortages, rising rents, traffic congestion, overcrowded public transport systems, declining education levels and fears of crime and violence.
Data from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office shows that net migration in 2022 contributed to a population increase of 68,800, while natural demographic changes, such as births minus deaths, led to a population increase of 7,900.
According to the Federal Statistical Office’s 2020 projections, Switzerland’s population could reach 10.4 million by 2050, with the “low scenario” assuming 9.5 million and the “high scenario” 11.4 million.
