According to the Executive, the initiative puts at risk the prosperity, economy and security of the nation.

The proposal has the backing of the Swiss People’s Party and, according to the draft, received sufficient support for public consultation.

In this context, Switzerland will have to remain below 10 million inhabitants until 2050, which means that its population will hardly be able to grow by around one million during this time.

The government explained in a statement that, if the change were to be introduced, the authorities would be forced to take action, which would mean denouncing any international agreement that favors population growth.

At risk, according to the Executive, would be the agreements signed with the European Union, which are currently being renegotiated, as well as Switzerland being able to remain in the Schengen area of free movement.

The so-called Initiative for Sustainability is expressly against uncontrolled immigration, to which it attributes a demographic explosion that ‘overloads the infrastructures, destroys nature and makes rents rise’.

ef/abo/mem/ehl