Switzerland weighs world's first population cap episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 12, 2026 · 4 MIN

Switzerland weighs world's first population cap

from The World: Latest Stories · host Orla Barry

Switzerland could become the first country in the world to put a legal cap on its population. In a referendum this weekend, voters will decide whether to limit the country's population to 10 million people. It currently stands at 9.1 million. Supporters say the move would ease housing shortages and reduce pressure on public transport but critics warn it could be disastrous for the Swiss economy. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Switzerland could become the first country in the world to put a legal cap on its population. In a referendum this weekend, voters will decide whether to limit the country's population to 10 million people. It currently stands at 9.1 million. Supporters say the move would ease housing shortages and reduce pressure on public transport but critics warn it could be disastrous for the Swiss economy. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

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Switzerland weighs world's first population cap

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Switzerland could become the first country in the world to put a legal cap on its population. In a referendum this weekend, voters will decide whether to limit the country's population to 10 million people. It currently stands at 9.1 million....

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