Swiss voters will decide on two federal questions on June 14th, the Federal Council confirmed on Wednesday: a popular initiative to cap population growth and a tightening of access to civilian service, challenged by referendum.
A ceiling on population
The first proposal, launched by the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) and titled “No Switzerland of 10 million!”, seeks stricter controls on immigration to ensure that the country’s permanent resident population does not exceed 10m by 2050. The federal authorities would be required to act once the population surpasses 9.5m.
Under the initiative, persons admitted on a provisional basis would no longer be eligible for residence or settlement permits, naturalisation or other long-term rights. Should domestic measures prove insufficient, the federal government would be obliged to terminate international treaties, including the agreement on the free movement of persons with the European Union.
The proposal marks a renewed push by the UDC/SVP after 61.7% of voters rejected its Limitation Initiative in 2020 and after what the party considers a diluted implementation of the 2014 Mass Immigration initiative. The party argues that immigration lies behind a range of pressures, from housing shortages to traffic congestion.
The Federal Council and parliament recommend rejecting the initiative without a counter-proposal. They acknowledge that population growth poses challenges but describe the text as excessive. Switzerland’s economy, they argue, depends on foreign labour; curbing immigration sharply would aggravate existing labour shortages, notably in health care, particularly as the population ages.
Civil service under scrutiny
The second vote concerns a reform designed to tighten access to civilian service, the alternative to compulsory military service for conscientious objectors. Parliament approved the changes in September with the aim of reducing the number of soldiers transferring to civilian service from roughly 6,600 to 4,000 a year.
The government says the reform is intended to preserve civilian service as an exceptional solution for genuine conflicts of conscience, while shoring up the ranks of the armed forces and civil protection.
Opponents, led by the Young Greens Switzerland and the CIVIVA, gathered some 57,000 signatures to force a referendum. They accuse parliament of “dismantling” a form of service they regard as essential to society. As in the immigration debate, critics warn that tightening access risks exacerbating staff shortages in socially valuable sectors.
On June 14th voters will thus confront two familiar themes in Swiss politics: the limits of population growth and the balance between military obligation and civilian contribution.
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