On June 14, 2026, Switzerland will vote on a proposal of great economic, social, and European political importance. The popular initiative 'No 10 Million Switzerland' aims to introduce a rigid limit on the residential population to 10 million. It thus threatens prosperity, quality of life, jobs, and essential services in Switzerland. The initiative would exacerbate the shortage of skilled labour, as more people retire than young people enter the workforce due to demographic changes. This would worsen the already tense situation in many sectors, such as healthcare and the care system; service reliability would suffer, and waiting times would increase. Skilled workers in IT, research, technology, or energy would also be lacking, weakening Switzerland's capacity for innovation. Urban centres, as drivers of innovation and fertile ground for startups, would be particularly affected. The Association of Cities therefore supports the broad alliance from politics and business against the initiative.
If the initiative is accepted, international agreements would need to be terminated, especially the proven bilateral treaties with the EU. Swiss cities, as major economic sites, rely on open markets and international networking and have always supported the bilateral path and freedom of movement. For Swiss companies, not only is clear and reliable access to the EU internal market essential, but they must also be able to recruit workers from the EU in an unbureaucratic and targeted manner.
In addition, the initiative would endanger our country's security. If agreements such as Schengen/Dublin were to be removed, police cooperation would be hindered and the asylum system would be more heavily burdened - with noticeable effects for cantons and cities.
The experience of Swiss cities shows that population growth brings challenges, but also ensures diverse and attractive urban life. A larger population is associated with more work performance, expanded infrastructure, more educational and care institutions, cultural facilities, and diverse gastronomic offerings. Cities have repeatedly demonstrated that they can manage and shape growth in mobility, housing, and infrastructure; for example, through investments in public transport, promoting non-profit housing developments, developing new neighbourhoods and quality interior development. The existing challenges - such as in housing - can only be solved with targeted political instruments. A rigid population cap is the wrong approach.
Press Contact:
Benjamin Fröhlich, Head of
Communication,
medien@staedteverband.ch,
031 356 32 44