00:00Swiss citizens go to the polls on Sunday to vote on a popular initiative proposed by the right-wing
00:05Swiss People's Party, SVP, the largest in parliament, to cap the national population
00:10at below 10 million until 2015. The referendum put forward after securing the required 100,000
00:17signatures comes as approximately 27% of Swiss residents are not citizens, following years of
00:23immigration driven by a strong labour market. Calling it a sustainability initiative, the
00:29SVP argues that uncontrolled immigration causes the country to grow too quickly, putting
00:34an unbearable strain on housing, schools, and transport. If the population exceeds 9.5 million,
00:41the initiative would force parliament to restrict asylum and family reunification, while hitting
00:46a 10 million threshold would require terminating free movement agreement with the European Union.
00:52The collective government and major business groups have recommended rejecting the proposal
00:57warning it would harm the economy, hurt national prosperity, and jeopardize vital European security
01:02pacts.
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