Swiss voters reject proposal to cap population at 10 million

BERN: Swiss voters have turned down a proposal backed by the hard-right Swiss People's Party to limit the country's population growth, easing concerns raised by the government and business groups about the potential fallout.

Initial projections from the gfs.bern institute showed nearly 55 percent of voters rejected the initiative, titled No to a Switzerland with 10 million!, on Sunday. The measure had sought steps to prevent Switzerland's population, currently 9.1 million, from rising above 10 million before 2050.

The result was welcomed by Swiss Justice Minister Beat Jans, who told a press conference the public "have sent a signal of stability, openness, and reliability."

In Switzerland, where foreigners account for more than a quarter of the population, the proposal would have sharply tightened immigration if approved. The SVP, the country's largest party, had argued that mass immigration was driving housing shortages, higher rents, overcrowded trains and traffic congestion. But the initiative faced broad resistance from the government, parliament and several parts of the economy, which had warned it could trigger serious disruption.