Switzerland’s population has officially surpassed nine million, reaching a total of 9,002,763 as of the end of June, according to statistics released by the Federal Statistical Office on Thursday.
Of this population, approximately 27% hold foreign passports, with Italians and Germans representing the largest groups.
In response to the growth, the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), which advocates for reduced immigration and stricter asylum policies, has launched a voter initiative titled “No to 10 Million Swiss.” This initiative aims to cap the permanent resident population at 10 million by 2050.
The population took 12 years to grow from eight million to nine million. The SVP has also expressed concerns about the potential impact of reaching 9.5 million, calling for significant restrictions on immigration and the naturalization process for foreigners.
As is typical in Switzerland, the fate of the SVP’s proposal will be decided through a popular vote, though no date for the referendum has been set yet.
