Swiss government rejects “No 10 million Switzerland!” initiative

The Council of States in Switzerland has voted to recommend that voters reject the SVP initiative “No 10 million Switzerland!”

Swiss government recommends rejecting SVP proposal

In 2024, the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) initiative “No 10 million Switzerland” (Keine 10-Millionen-Schweiz!), or the Sustainability Initiative, gathered enough signatures to put the proposal to a referendum.

The proposal calls for limits on immigration to prevent the Swiss population from exceeding 10 million before 2050. No date has been announced for when Swiss voters will take to the polls decide the initiative’s outcome.

The Council of States, the upper house of the Swiss federal government, has now joined the National Council in voting to recommend that the Swiss electorate reject the SVP proposal. The council voted 29 to nine in favour of recommending a rejection, with six abstentions. The council also decided not to offer a counter-proposal to the SVP initiative.

Immigration important for Switzerland’s prosperity, Councillors argue 

Political opponents of the proposal argued that passing the initiative will “ultimately mean terminating the free movement of persons agreement with the European Union,” which is “crucial for Switzerland’s prosperity and should not be jeopardised”, reports Watson. 

Federal Councillor Tiana Angelina Moser (GLP) reaffirmed that, for example, 45 percent of doctors in Switzerland have a foreign degree and that “Switzerland cannot do without these people,” continues Watson.

On the other hand, SVP supporters of the initiative argued that “uncontrolled immigration must finally be tackled at its root” and that the proposal is a “sensible way to regain control”.

The government’s recommendation must now go through the formality of a final vote in the Swiss parliament towards the end of the winter session in December.