Khaberni - Voters in Switzerland are heading to a historic and unprecedented vote to decide a proposal aimed at setting a cap on the country's population at 10 million inhabitants by 2050.
The referendum, backed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party, is part of a continuous political campaign led by the anti-immigration movement to limit the influx of foreigners into the wealthy European nation, which currently has about 9.1 million inhabitants.
The in-person voting is scheduled for Sunday, under the system of direct democracy adopted in Switzerland, which grants citizens a direct role in shaping policies through periodic referendums held 4 times a year.
Recent polls indicate a significant convergence in voters' positions, which heralds a heated electoral battle that could carry wide political, economic, and social implications.
Supporters of the initiative believe that the rapid population growth, especially driven by migration from European Union countries, is putting increasing pressure on infrastructure, the housing market, social services, and natural resources, as well as threatening what they describe as "the Swiss way of life."
"Absurd Proposal"
Conversely, the Swiss government, parliament, and business sectors warn that adopting the proposal could directly harm the national economy, which relies heavily on foreign labor and skills attracted from abroad, particularly in the sectors of healthcare, pharmaceuticals, finance, and technology.
The Swiss Companies Association "Economie Suisse" described the initiative as an "absurd proposal" that would undermine the country's security and prosperity, while leaders in the "Swiss People's Party" rejected these criticisms, considering that the open border policy has contributed to rising crime rates and burdened the state.
Since the implementation of the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons between Switzerland and the European Union in 2002, the population has increased by about 23%, paralleled by an economic growth of 24% during the same period, according to official data.
Experts affirm that passing the initiative will oblige the government to take strict measures as soon as the population nears 9.5 million inhabitants, including tightening asylum policies, family reunification, and residency, and possibly reconsidering the free movement agreement with the European Union.
Although most of the foreigners residing in Switzerland are from European countries, the immigration issue has remained a sharp political divider within the country for decades, where Swiss voters narrowly supported an initiative in 2014 to limit "mass immigration."
