Switzerland will hold a referendum this summer on an initiative by the far-right Swiss People's Party (SVP), which proposes capping the country's population at 10 million people. The vote is scheduled for June 10, writes The Guardian.
Illustrative photo. Photo: vecteezy.com
According to the proposal, authorities will have to take measures if the permanent population, currently about 9.1 million people, exceeds 9.5 million. This would involve limiting the entry of new migrants, including refugees and family members of foreign nationals.
If the number of residents reaches 10 million and does not begin to decrease, Switzerland will be obliged to withdraw from the free movement agreement with the EU — its main trading partner.
Over the past decade, the country's population has grown significantly faster than the average in EU states. About 27% of residents do not have Swiss citizenship. The SVP claims that population growth leads to rising housing costs and overloaded infrastructure.
At the same time, the initiative is strongly criticized by the government, parliament, and the business community. Major companies such as Roche, UBS, and Nestlé warn that the restrictions could jeopardize agreements with the EU, including the agreement on access to the single market.
Business representatives state that many enterprises depend on workers from EU countries, and thus, in the event of strict restrictions, they may move their company's operations abroad, which would negatively impact the economy and budget.
According to a poll conducted in December, about 48% of voters are ready to support the initiative, indicating a division of opinions in society regarding how open the country should remain.
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Comments
Вось і адразу бачна каму выгадна прывозіць замежную працоўную сілу і плаціць ім мінімалку, замест таго каб нармалёва плаціць мясцовым. Асабліва смешна пра "гуманістаў" з Нестле, якія у свой час не грэбалі карыстацца працай рабоў у Афрыцы.