Committee launches campaign against SVP’s “No 10 million Switzerland!"

With Switzerland now gearing up to decide on the SVP “No 10 million Switzerland!” initiative on June 14, a committee in Bern has spoken out against the proposal and warns of potential consequences.

Cross-party committee against SVP proposal

A committee from Bern has launched a campaign against the SVP initiative “No 10 million Switzerland!” (“Keine 10-Millionen-Schweiz!”). The committee is made up of representatives from the FDP, the Centre Party, the EVP and the GLP, along with business representatives, reports 20 Minuten.

The cross-party group argues that limiting Switzerland’s population to 10 million people will “put Switzerland in a dilemma within three to four years.” The Swiss population is currently at 9,05 million, according to the Federal Statistical Office, and could reach 9,5 million by 2031 and 10 million by 2041. 

The SVP's proposal states that if 9,5 million people reside in Switzerland by 2050, the Swiss government must take action to curb population growth.

Limiting Swiss population will impact the whole country

The counter campaign warns that with Switzerland set to reach the 9,5 million population mark soon, “from 2031 onwards, chaos threatens, gradually affecting all areas of life." If passed, the initiative could see Switzerland end the EU free movement of people and limit immigration to control population numbers.  

These restrictions could lead to “chaos in jobs, bilateral agreements and old-age and survivors’ insurance”, says co-president of the FDP Benjamin Mühlemann, reported by SRF. Without immigrants, many of whom fill gaps in jobs, a “collapse of essential services is imminent”, especially in areas such as healthcare, tourism, construction and agriculture.

According to Mühlemann, the question on the ballot paper in June is “not how many people will live in Switzerland in the future, but who will provide care and support for the people living here today.”

Swiss government recommends rejecting SVP proposal

Last year, the Council of States joined the National Council in voting to recommend that the Swiss electorate reject the SVP proposal in the upcoming referendum. The government body similarly recognised the importance of immigration to Switzerland's economy and future.

The SVP proposal argues that population growth is overwhelming services and infrastructure, harming nature and contributing to the shortage of housing in the country. In a survey published by 20 Minuten and Tamedia in December 2025, 48 percent of respondents said that they would vote in favour of the initiative compared to 41 percent who would vote against. 11 percent were still unsure how they would vote.