Vast majority of Swiss voters reject immigration restrictions

Around 74% of the voters in a referendum in Switzerland on Sunday have voted to reject proposed immigration restrictions, initial projections show.

The proposed immigration reform would have limited immigration to Switzerland from 80,000 to 16,000 people a year. Supporters of the reform, proposed by Swiss environmental NGO Ecopop, argued that it would have eased pressure on the country’s economy, environment and human resources by reducing the need for new houses and transport links. Opponents of it, including all the major political parties, argued that it would have harmed the country’s economy as Swiss businesses wanted to be able to recruit skilled workers from Europe.

Switzerland’s population has grown by over a million people in the past 20 years and around 23% of its population are now foreigners, the highest percentage in the world alongside Australia. Net immigration to Switzerland stood at 81,000 last year, according to public broadcaster Swiss Info. In order to access the EU’s single market, Switzerland signed the bilateral Free Movement of Persons Agreement, opening its borders up to EU Immigration. While Switzerland voted in February to re-introduce immigration quotas, its government has not yet implemented them. The results of that referendum harmed Switzerland’s relationship with the European Union.   

Two other referendums were also held on Sunday in Switzerland: one to scrap tax breaks for rich immigrants living but not working in Switzerland, and another to force the country’s central bank to increase its gold reserves. Early results show that these two referendums also failed. In Switzerland, citizens can force through a referendum if they can gather enough signatures of support.