A landmark referendum to cap Switzerland’s population could harm research collaboration between universities in the country and the European Union, the head of an umbrella body has said, warning of a “volatile” period in the run-up to the vote.
Luciana Vaccaro, the president of Swissuniversities, said the proposal could have far-reaching consequences for Switzerland’s relationship with the EU and its research system.
“If the referendum goes through, there could be an obligation for our government to stop the free movement of people, and this could affect our relationship with the European Union. This is the aim of the party supporting the proposal,” said Vaccaro, who is also the rector of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland.
The referendum, put forward by the right-wing, populist Swiss People’s Party (SVP), is set for a national vote on 14 June. It requires the government to impose restrictions if the country’s population, currently at 9.1 million, exceeds 9.5 million.
Proposed actions include denying entrance to newcomers, including asylum seekers and the families of foreign residents. The government would also be obliged to end its free-movement agreement with the European Union (EU) if the country’s population reached 10 million.
