The referendum is initiated by the right-wing conservative Swiss People's Party, which began collecting signatures for a petition to limit immigration in 2024. This party controls about one-third of the seats in the Federal Assembly of Switzerland.
Despite the government and parliament opposing this proposal, the referendum was automatically triggered after more than 100,000 citizens signed the petition.
If the referendum receives support, the government will be required to implement measures to limit immigration by 2050. Currently, the population of Switzerland is approximately nine million. In particular, if the population exceeds 9.5 million, authorities will be forced to tighten the conditions for obtaining permanent residency for foreigners and reconsider the free movement agreement with the European Union, of which Switzerland is not a member.
Supporters of the initiative argue that the existing overpopulation has already created problems for the country's infrastructure, threatens local identity, and leads to rising housing prices.
Opponents of this approach warn that it could negatively impact the Swiss economy, complicate the attraction of foreign workers, and damage relations with the European Union.
According to a survey conducted by two Swiss media organizations in December 2025, 48% of respondents support the proposal to limit the population, while 41% oppose it.
