Swiss referendum to decide whether to limit the population to 10 million or to put the brakes on immigration

(Geneva News) Switzerland is holding a referendum on a highly controversial bill. The outcome of the vote will determine whether the government will limit the country's population to below 10 million, thereby putting the brakes on the immigration wave.

Swiss voters will cast their ballots on this bill on Sunday (June 14th). Preliminary results are expected to be announced in the afternoon of that day. The latest poll indicates that the number of votes in favor and against may be very close, but the opposition sentiment seems to have a slight edge.

Over the past 20 years, the population of Switzerland has grown rapidly. Currently, the total population has reached 9.1 million, among which 27% are Swiss residents born abroad.

Many voters are concerned about the shortage of public transportation services, the high housing prices and the rising medical costs. The right-wing Swiss People's Party attributes these problems to large-scale immigration and emphasizes the need for radical measures.

The Swiss People's Party is the largest political party in Switzerland. It describes this bill as a "sustainable development initiative" aimed at alleviating housing, public service and environmental pressures. However, some voters believe that this is the latest anti-immigration measure by the Swiss People's Party.

Parhud, a member of the Swiss People's Party, said: "Switzerland is a small country that cannot expand. We do not want to take in the entire Europe."

The left-leaning Social Democratic Party member Dinis refuted the argument of blaming immigrants, saying it was "looking for a scapegoat". "Looking at the issue from the perspective of immigrants will not solve the problem; it will only lead to division."

The opposition, which includes both the government and the business community, has warned that this bill will cause chaos, result in hospitals and hotels losing their much-needed staff, and damage the hard-won relationship between Switzerland and the European Union.

Although Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, it maintains close trade relations with the EU. Swiss Justice Minister Jans told domestic media that this referendum might lead to a situation equivalent to a "Brexit" for Switzerland.