Chaos initiative: No to a dangerous boomerang for Switzerland

The SVP's Chaos Initiative addresses real concerns about population growth and presents a supposedly simple solution in the form of a fixed population cap. Added to this are a seemingly long time horizon, trivializing statements on implementation and an initiative title that conceals the drastic consequences behind the concept of sustainability.

This is precisely where the danger lies. The initiative is not a "liberating blow" for Switzerland, but a dangerous boomerang that will fall back on us.

The consequences are closer than many people think: serious consequences are not only looming in the decade after next, but probably in just a few years' time. As soon as Switzerland has to restrict family reunification as demanded by the initiative, there would be a direct confrontation with the EU. As this would be a serious violation of the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons, it would acutely jeopardize the bilateral approach.

A break with Europe would have drastic consequences. Cooperation in key areas would be blocked for years. The initiative would therefore directly jeopardize prosperity and security in Switzerland, as the EU is by far our most important trade and security partner. Especially at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty and increasing trade conflicts, it would be short-sighted to jeopardize our relationship with the EU.

Whoever talks about immigration should not ignore the demographic reality: Switzerland is ageing. There are more and more pensioners compared to fewer and fewer people in employment. This growing imbalance is a major challenge for the labor market, pension provision and prosperity.

A rigid population cap would further exacerbate the consequences of demographic change. If the rejuvenating effect of labor migration ceases, there will not only be a shortage of workers to care for, build, repair, plan and serve. The AHV would also come under greater pressure and the burden on the workforce would increase further.

The recently published study on the impact of the population cap commissioned by the federal government puts a concrete price tag on the initiative. Unsurprisingly, the costs massively exceed the benefits.

If you want to drastically limit immigration, you also have to say who should do without workers in future. The regional hospital, which is already working at its limit? The SME in the village that is desperately looking for employees? Public transport, which is already short of staff? Or research and innovation, which are dependent on international talent?

The reality is that many professions that are central to the functioning of our country are now supported by foreign workers. At the same time, as a center of innovation, Switzerland is heavily reliant on international talent. Without this workforce, there is a risk of poorer supply, longer waiting times, less innovation and a loss of quality of life.

The proponents of the initiative give the impression that a rigid population cap would be a simple and quick solution to Switzerland's key challenges. This impression is false.

A good example is road traffic: Switzerland's population has roughly doubled since 1960, while the number of cars has increased ninefold. Population growth is one factor, but other factors such as the development of prosperity set the tone. If Switzerland continues to rest on an infrastructure that often dates back to the 1970s, traffic jams will not get a minute shorter even after a Yes to the initiative.

Further examples include the area of asylum and security: here, too, the initiative does not solve the existing problems. On the contrary: if the Schengen/Dublin agreements with the EU were to be abolished, Switzerland would no longer be able to return asylum seekers to EU countries and anyone who was rejected in an EU country would be allowed to submit a second asylum application in Switzerland. In addition, the fight against crime would be made much more difficult without access to the search databases of the Schengen Information System.

The Chaos Initiative is counterproductive. It jeopardizes the bilateral path with the EU, exacerbates the demographic challenges and leads to renunciation. At the same time, it does not solve existing problems, but creates numerous new ones.

The idea that you can only send a political signal by agreeing to a rigid population cap is dangerous. The Chaos Initiative is not a symbol, but a new constitutional provision with real consequences. Anyone who wants to send out a signal for a sustainable Switzerland on June 14 should therefore clearly vote NO to the Chaos Initiative.