Switzerlands population exceeds 9 million for first time
Foreign
THE population of Switzerland has surpassed the nine-million mark for the first time, according to government statistics on Thursday.
The Federal Statistical Office reported 9,002,763 people were living in Switzerland at the end of June.
Some 27 per cent of them hold a foreign passport, with Italians and Germans the first and second biggest groups.
The right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), which wants immigration reduced and asylum rules toughened, organised a voter initiative called “No to 10 million Swiss.’’
The initiative demanded that permanent residents’ population not exceed 10 million before 2050.
It took 12 years for the population to grow from eight million to nine million.
When the population reached 9.5 million, the SVP wanted immigration and naturalisation of foreigners to be drastically restricted.
As is common in Switzerland, a popular vote will decide the SVP’s plan. There is no date yet set for the referendum.
(dpa/NAN)
A.I
Sept. 20, 2024
Related Posts
South Africa keen on increasing Chinese, Indian tourist arrivals
SOUTH Africa is considering easing travel restrictions to increase tourist arrivals from China and India, a senior government official said....
Read MoreHezbollah chief says device explosions in Lebanon “declaration of war”
HEZBOLLAH leader Hassan Nasrallah said that the explosions in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, which targeted communication devices, amounted to...
Read MoreUN chief condemns terrorist attack in Mali
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned Tuesday’s terrorist attack in Bamako, Mali, his spokesman said. “The secretary-general strongly condemns the...
Read MoreMost Read
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Keep abreast of news and other developments from our website.