Swiss Lawmaker Pitches EU Immigration Tax in Overcrowding Debate

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May 17, 2026 - 13:24

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(Bloomberg) — A vice president of a Swiss government party wants to charge European Union immigrants a fee if their arrival causes population density stress in Switzerland, according to a newspaper report on Sunday.“Immigrants are settling into a ready-made nest in Switzerland,” lawmaker Andrea Caroni told SonntagsZeitung. “So we can ask them to pay something for that.”Caroni, a vice president of the center-right FDP, plans to submit the idea in parliament as part of the domestic implementation of Switzerland’s new treaty package with the EU, according to the report.The proposal comes just weeks before Switzerland is set to hold a referendum on whether to cap its population over concerns of strained trains, roads and housing. This and the EU deal have stoked a heated debate on immigration within the country.©2026 Bloomberg L.P.