Switzerland rejects 10 million population cap proposal aimed at curbing immigration

Early projection suggests voters in Switzerland have rejected a proposal to limit the country's population to 10 million.

Swiss voters appear to have rejected a high-stakes proposal to impose a hard constitutional cap on the country’s population, averting a potential diplomatic clash with the European Union.

According to preliminary projections by national broadcaster SRF, Swiss voters were set to reject a proposal to cap the country’s population in a referendum held on Sunday.

The probable rejection showed a majority of voters had prioritized economic stability and the country’s ties to the European Union over concerns that immigration is stretching public services, pushing up rents and fuelling crime.

A projection published by SRF indicated about 45% of voters were in favor of the proposal and 55% against.

Moreover, the proposal came from the right-wing Swiss People's Party, which has long campaigned on an anti-immigration platform.

Switzerland's population has grown rapidly since 2002, when it stood at 7.3 million. Now it is 9.1 million, 27% of whom are Swiss residents who were born abroad.

The divisive vote risked putting the country's free movement agreement with the European Union in jeopardy.

However, the People Party's says that capping the population would reduce pressure on transport, housing and the environment seem not to have persuaded enough voters.

Many others were seemingly worried at the prospect of losing much-needed workers in tourism, hospitals, and care homes.

Others, in particular Swiss business leaders, feared losing Switzerland's crucial access to Europe's single market.

It is also likely that some Swiss voters were nervous about a move which could leave their country isolated in what is a very unstable world.

Although neutral, Switzerland, like its neighbours in Europe, is spending more on defence, and has been exploring ways to co-ordinate more closely with European on security.

Switzerland's system of direct democracy means all major decisions are taken via the ballot box. Campaigners simply have to gather 100,000 signatures to ensure a nationwide vote.

Over half of all Swiss products are sold into the EU, but their access to Europe's markets depends on Swiss commitment to Europe's free movement of people. Had the population cap been approved, Switzerland would have had to terminate that agreement.