Universities warn against SVP initiative against Switzerland’s 10-million-strong population
Keystone-SDA
If Switzerland’s population reaches 9.5 million, the Federal Council would be required to significantly curb immigration; at 10 million, it could even be forced to terminate international agreements.
This would constitute “a radical intervention and would severely harm not only the Swiss economy but also research,” Luciana Vaccaro, president of Swissuniversities, told SonntagsBlick.
Her warning is based on a legal opinion commissioned by Swissuniversities. According to the analysis, the proposal put forward by the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), which is due to go to a vote on June 14, could trigger the so-called guillotine clause, placing Switzerland’s bilateral agreements with the European Union at risk.
“If we reach the 10-million threshold and are required to terminate agreements related to the free movement of persons, we risk once again being excluded from Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, Digital Europe or Euratom – some of the world’s leading research programmes. That would be devastating,” Vaccaro said.
Half of professors from abroad
Swiss universities rank among the best globally, largely because they attract top researchers and maintain strong international partnerships, she added. “Around half of university professors in Switzerland come from abroad, and two-thirds of leading research projects are internationally anchored.”
According to Vaccaro, the benefits of research extend beyond academia. Around half of startup founders in Switzerland do not hold a Swiss passport, and a significant share of patents involve foreign nationals. “We benefit enormously from this talent,” she said.
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