Switzerland. Photo: Gerry H / Shutterstock.com Switzerland's Federal Council is proposing a highly controversial "sustainability initiative" called "No to a Switzerland with 10 million!", calling for a "cap on the permanent resident population".
"Switzerland’s population must remain below 10 million until 2050. If the permanent resident population exceeds 9.5 million before 2050, the Federal Council and Parliament will need to take measures, particularly in the areas of asylum and family reunification," explains the Federal Council on its website.
The council went on to explain that, in the event that the country's population goes over the 10-million threshold, they would need to terminate a series of agreements, "including the one with the EU on the free movement of persons after two years."
"Switzerland’s participation in the EU’s Schengen and Dublin agreements would also be called into question, thereby jeopardizing close cooperation in the areas of security and asylum."
Authorities argue that, at the end of last year, Switzerland had a population of roughly 9.1 million.
Once the free movement of persons was introduced in 2002, the population went up by 1.7 million, "mainly due to immigration."
The council further expalined that the number of people who choose to immigrate is largely based on the state of the labour market.
"When the economy is strong, companies struggle to find enough workers within Switzerland. Companies, as well as public institutions like hospitals and care homes, often recruit the skilled workers they need from the EU."