The majority of residents in Switzerland oppose the initiative to limit the country's population to 10 million people. This is evidenced by the results of a new sociological survey conducted ahead of the nationwide referendum.
According to a new study, the majority of Swiss citizens do not support a bill that proposes to limit the country's population to 10 million people.
This was reported by Reuters, as conveyed by bb.lv.
According to a survey conducted by the GFS Bern institute on behalf of the public broadcaster SRG, about 52% of respondents oppose the initiative. The proposal is supported by 45% of the survey participants.
The survey was conducted from May 19 to May 27, with 19,400 people participating.
In comparison, the results of a previous study published at the end of April showed a nearly equal division of opinions: at that time, 47% of respondents expressed support for and against the initiative.
The question will be put to a nationwide referendum on June 14. According to the proposal, the permanent population of Switzerland should not exceed 10 million people by 2050. Additionally, the document provides for the suspension of the agreement on the free movement of citizens between Switzerland and the European Union.
Support for the initiative is linked to concerns among some of the population about the rapid growth of the country's residents. Last year, Switzerland's population reached 9.1 million people, which intensified the discussion about the burden on housing, transportation systems, and social infrastructure.
The proposal was initiated by the far-right Swiss People's Party, which has been advocating for stricter immigration policies and limiting the influx of foreigners for several years.
Despite the growing concern about demographic changes, recent data shows that the majority of Swiss people are not yet ready to support such strict limitations. The final answer to this question will be provided by the referendum, which will take place on June 14.
