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A poster in Bern urges a “No” vote on the so-called Sustainability Initiative. The vote is also drawing significant international attention.
Keystone/Christian Beutler
Switzerland is on the verge of deciding on the No 10 Million Initiative. While voters are divided on the proposal according to the latest polls, the foreign media have taken a rather critical stance on it.
Voters will decide on Sunday on the popular initiative “No to a 10-Million Switzerland, ” with which the SVP aims to limit immigration. If passed, Switzerland would be the first country in the world to impose a population cap on itself. The proposal is causing quite a stir elsewhere as well.
The German news magazine “Der Spiegel,” for example, has been covering the initiative extensively in recent weeks. Most recently, the Swiss edition of the publication featured a cover image of a ballot marked “Germans out.”
In the podcast “Acht Milliarden” about the “most important Swiss referendum in years,” journalists from “Der Spiegel” examine the impact on German immigrants—who are often highly qualified. They describe the likely resulting rift with the EU as “shooting oneself in the foot.”
The economically liberal French daily “Le Figaro” also writes of “a major challenge” for Switzerland should the initiative be approved. It would then have to take “drastic measures” as soon as the population threshold of 9.5 million people is reached.
Readers, however, do not merely agree with this observation. “Very good idea,” reads the comments section. “Otherwise, Switzerland will be as concrete-covered as Île-de-France in 50 years.”
The British “Guardian” uses the clearest language. “Has Switzerland had enough of prosperity? I can’t think of any other reason for this nonsensical proposal,” writes journalist Joseph de Weck in his opinion piece. A population cap is nothing more than a “far-right fantasy” that would destroy the openness that has made the country rich.
De Weck points out that Zurich, as Switzerland’s largest city, is not actually that densely populated by European standards. The SVP, however, is successfully exploiting concerns about rising rents to realize its long-standing desire for a deregulated, ruthless commercial hub—“a sort of Alpine Dubai.”
The “New York Times” also highlights in its reporting how the SVP has adapted its rhetoric for this vote to appeal to the political center as well. Less pointed, but more vivid: The report on the topic takes us to Zurich to the shoe manufacturer “On,” where a large protein shake costs the equivalent of $15 in the cafeteria—the kind of pricing the Swiss population struggles with every day.
In an analysis, the influential U.S. media outlet also focuses on demographic change and the economic implications of the initiative. A “yes” vote could reshape a country that is rapidly aging and heavily reliant on talented workers from abroad, according to the verdict.
And the news agency Bloomberg, naturally, also focuses on the economic significance of the vote. It’s not just about immigration, a short video states. Rather, the question is whether one of the world’s richest countries can remain globally competitive while trying to slow down globalization.
13.06.2026, 17:23
