According to Deutsche Welle, the Swiss Federal Council has approved the popular initiative “No 10-Million Switzerland” by the right-wing populist Swiss People’s Party (SVP) for a vote. The referendum is set for June 14. The initiative aims to limit the permanent resident population to a maximum of ten million people by 2050.
The debate touches on nationalist and xenophobic motives as well as concrete economic interests. Tobias Heidland from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) told DW that a “struggle will arise over which immigration to still allow.” He expects many highly qualified individuals to decide against migrating to Switzerland—a “deterrence of the wrong people.”
Sabine Zinn from the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) told DW that whether immigration restrictions are the right answer cannot be answered in a blanket manner. The real challenge lies in distinguishing between humanitarian refugee migration and economically needed labor migration. Many European states face demographic challenges: fewer and fewer workers have to finance social security systems, and the labor market already lacks qualified applicants.
Wido Geis-Thöne, migration expert at the German Economic Institute (IW) in Cologne, pointed to the shortage of skilled workers, especially in simpler jobs. Many EU foreigners work in the hotel and catering industry as well as in construction—significant for Switzerland as a tourist destination. The ten-million limit would “with near certainty cause substantial harm,” Geis-Thöne said.
A similar SVP proposal failed twelve years ago. The upcoming vote could also send a risky signal for Germany, as it reignites the debate on immigration limits.
Source: www.dw.com
