Brussels – Geneva: Europe and the Arabs

Swiss voters rejected on Sunday a proposal to cap the country's population at 10 million by 2050, according to preliminary results of a controversial referendum described by some observers as a Swiss "Brexit."

Results from 25 of the country's 26 cantons showed that approximately 54% of those who voted rejected the initiative. This was reported by media outlets on Monday, including the Middle East News Agency, which added: The referendum was closely watched in Brussels, as a "yes" vote would have put Switzerland on a collision course with the European Union, threatening the free movement agreement between the two parties. The importance of this agreement lies in the fact that 60% of Swiss goods are sold in European markets, a trade exchange entirely dependent on this reciprocal agreement. In the first European reaction, German lawmaker David McAllister, chairman of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, said: "Swiss voters have today sent a strong signal in favor of reliability, openness, and continuing on the bilateral path."

He added: "Switzerland remains committed to its relationship with Europe and is ready to face challenges in a cooperative manner."

The referendum was proposed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party, which argued that limiting the birth rate would help alleviate pressure on the environment and public services. The party has a long history of leading anti-immigration campaigns.

Conversely, the campaign against the proposal (which resulted in a "no" vote) focused on the negative repercussions of restricting immigration on vital sectors such as healthcare, which has a large representation of foreign workers. It also highlighted the risks to Switzerland's relations with the European Union and the dangers of political and economic isolation in general, within a turbulent global geopolitical environment. Despite the rejection, the narrow margin of the referendum result – with 45% of the population voting in favor of the proposal and a turnout of 59% – is likely to put increasing pressure on the Swiss government to take more decisive action to address the growing public discontent over immigration.