SWISS voters have rejected a right-wing initiative to cap the rich Alpine country’s population at 10 million, according to early results of today’s referendum.

Early results shared by the federal government showed that nearly 54 per cent of voters rejected the cap, with turnout exceeding 57 per cent nationwide.

The right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SPP), which has the most seats in parliament, has stirred up anti-migration sentiment over the years, notably about an influx of workers from the neighbouring European Union, Switzerland’s top trading partner.

Critics call the bid a self-inflicted wound, saying the boom in migration over the last generation has brought foreign labour and skills to sectors such as healthcare, finance, pharmaceuticals and technology.

The SPP put forward the “sustainability initiative” measure, saying Swiss infrastructure, housing, social programmes, natural resources and “way of life” have been strained by demographic growth.

The federal government and parliament oppose the idea.

Swiss democracy gives voters a direct say in policy-making through referendums typically held four times a year.

A Yes vote would require the Swiss government to take action to cap the population by 2050.

If the population reaches 9.5 million before then, the government would be forced to restrict asylum, family reunification and residency permits, and may have to scrap Switzerland’s EU deal on the free movement of people.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has reported that Switzerland had a foreign-born population of 32 per cent as of 2024, behind only Luxembourg and Australia among the group’s 38 member countries.

Since Switzerland and the EU eased restrictions on citizens living and working across their borders in 2002, the Swiss population has grown by 23 per cent, to 9.1 million as of the end of last year.

Economic output has also increased, up 24 per cent over the same period, according to government data.