THE NEW YORK TIMES: After a campaign by a right-wing opposition party, the government will hold a referendum in June that would require measures to limit immigration.
Switzerland will hold a referendum in June on whether to cap its population at 10 million until 2050 by limiting immigration, sharply illustrating how anti-foreigner sentiment in Europe has hardened since the continent’s migration crisis a decade ago.
If successful, the vote on June 14 would oblige the government to take measures over the next quarter-century to limit immigration to Switzerland, where the population currently stands at roughly 9 million.
Supporters of the initiative say those measures should include making it harder for foreigners to gain permanent residency, once the population passes 9.5 million, and revising the country’s agreement with the European Union that allows for free movement between Switzerland and the rest of the continent. (Switzerland is not part of the E.U.)
Both the government and Parliament voted to oppose the initiative but the referendum has been triggered automatically because more than 100,000 citizens have signed a petition in support of a vote. » | Tatiana Firsova | Reporting from Berlin | Wednesday, February 11, 2026
