Swiss reject right-wing's bid to cap population at 10 million, early results show

A poster reading "Isolate ourselves from Europe? Certainly not now! - No to the SVP/UDC Chaos initiative" featuring images of President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, urging people to vote against the Swiss People's Party (SVP) referendum titled "No to a Switzerland with 10 million inhabitants" photographed in Lausanne, May 27, 2026. Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP hide caption

GENEVA — Nearly 55% of voters in Switzerland on Sunday rejected an initiative championed by the top right-wing party to cap the rich Alpine country's population at 10 million, early results showed.

The populist Swiss People's Party, which has the most seats in parliament, has stirred up and fostered anti-migration sentiment over the years, notably about an influx of workers from the neighboring European Union.

Some have dubbed the proposal a "Swiss Brexit" because it could jeopardize Switzerland's deep ties to the European Union anchored by deals that foster economic growth, cultural ties and cross-border travel, among other things. Switzerland is not one of the EU's 27 member states, but it is all but surrounded by four of them

Recent polling from the gfs.bern agency suggested that it could be a close contest.

Preliminary results shared by the federal government showed that nearly 55% of voters rejected the proposal, with nationwide turnout almost 59%. Results were still pending from many of Switzerland's 26 cantons.

The number of people living in Switzerland has soared by nearly one-quarter over the last generation, and foreigners today make up nearly one-third of the population.

Critics say the boom in migration has brought foreign labor and skills to sectors such as healthcare, finance, pharmaceuticals, and technology.