Home › DW       13.06.2026

The country that might vote to stop growing | DW News

What happens when a country decides it doesn't want it's population to grow? Swiss voters are set to decide on a referendum proposal that would cap the population at 10 million. Supporters say rapid growth is putting pressure on housing, transport and public services. Critics argue Switzerland's economy depends on immigration and warn the proposal could damage relations with the European Union. If approved, the measure could eventually force Switzerland to end its free movement agreement with the EU, which is a crucial part Swiss-European relations. We look at what's being proposed, why immigration has become such a major political issue, and what the result could mean for Switzerland and the rest of Europe.

#switzerland #referendum #migration #dwnews

00:00 Swiss to vote in population cap referendum 02:15 Andreas Beerli, Economist at ETH Zurich 03:19 Switzerland: Challenges in housing and healthcare 04:47 Voices in favor of Switzerland population cap 07:53 What could be other solutions? 10:01 Can Switzerland really afford to put its EU free movement agreement at risk? 11:29 Voices against Switzerland population cap 12:27 What could a population cap mean for Switzerland's care sector?

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