Switzerland votes on capping population at 10 million — and looks set to reject it

Switzerland held a referendum Sunday on whether to cap the country's population at 10 million, but early projections pointed to the measure's defeat.

Swiss public broadcaster SRF, citing estimates released after polls closed, projected the initiative would fail, with 45 percent in favor and 55 percent opposed, according to Reuters and other outlets.

The measure would have restricted the country's total population to no more than 10 million by 2050.

The vote, triggered by a citizen initiative, closed at noon Sunday for both postal and in-person ballots.

The initiative was led by the Swiss People's Party (SVP), the largest party in the Swiss parliament, which has long made immigration a central issue. The SVP argued that a surge in the foreign-born population was straining public infrastructure, driving up rents and threatening national identity. The initiative was formally titled the "Sustainability Initiative."

The Swiss government and business community strongly opposed the measure, characterizing it as an anti-immigration policy. They said the influx of immigrants had helped fill labor shortages and supply skilled workers across industries including healthcare, finance, pharmaceuticals and technology.

Switzerland's population jumped from 7.3 million in 2002 to 9.1 million today. Foreign-born residents account for roughly 28 percent of the total population.

Reuters projected that if current trends continue, the population will surpass 10 million in the early 2040s.

Had the initiative passed, the government would have been required to introduce immigration restrictions — including limits on refugee admissions, family reunification and the issuance of residence permits — once the population reached 9.5 million.

Should the population hit 10 million, Switzerland could be required to scrap its agreements with the EU, including the accord on the free movement of people.

Concerns over a potential rupture with the EU led some observers to dub the vote a Swiss "Brexit," drawing comparisons to Britain's departure from the bloc.

Some analysts warned that because Switzerland's economy relies heavily on skilled foreign workers, passage of the initiative could weigh on growth. Projections suggested that scrapping agreements with the EU could reduce economic growth by 7.1 percent.

“이민자 단속, 악랄한 짓에 내 노래 쓰지마” 아리아나 그란데, 美백악관에 경고

[헤럴드경제=김성훈 기자] 세계적인 팝스타 아리아나 그란데가 자신의 음악을 ‘이민자 단속 홍보 영상’에 사용하지 말라고 미국 백악관을 향해 직접 경고했다. 그란데는

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