Switzerland Votes on Whether to Cap Its Population at 10 Million

Swiss voters decide on Sunday whether to cap their country's population at 10 million, a measure championed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party that would force the government to tighten immigration as numbers approach the limit. The New York Times notes that one of the world's richest countries is weighing a step that would curb migration and most likely slow its economy.

The mechanics are specific. With the population near 9.5 million, the plan would trigger restrictions on residence permits, family reunification and asylum, and if it reached 10 million, Switzerland would have to renounce its free-movement agreement with the European Union unless Brussels accepted the ceiling, according to The Hindu. Polls suggest a close vote, though some show voters leaning toward rejection.

Supporters frame the cap in terms of housing, infrastructure and sustainability. Opponents warn it would cut off the foreign labor that drives a high-wage economy and damage relations with the bloc that is Switzerland's largest trading partner.