Swiss voters set to reject population cap initiative, poll suggests

Swiss voters are on track to reject a proposal to cap the country's population at 10 million by 2050, according to a new opinion poll published on Wednesday by Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) ahead of a nationwide vote later this month.

The second poll conducted by SBC found that 52% of respondents oppose the 'No to ten million Switzerland' initiative, while 45% support it and 3% remain undecided.

Opposition has increased by five percentage points since the first survey in early May.

The initiative, launched by the right-wing Swiss People's Party, seeks to curb immigration in order to prevent the population from exceeding 10 million. Switzerland's population currently stands at about 9.1 million.

Support for the proposal remains strongest among Swiss People's Party voters, while left-wing voters overwhelmingly oppose it. According to the poll, voters in the political center have become increasingly critical of the initiative as the campaign has progressed.

The survey also found stronger opposition among women, highly educated voters, urban residents and French-speaking Swiss. Swiss citizens living abroad were even more likely to reject the proposal, with 63% opposed and 33% in favor, the poll found.

Political scientist Lukas Golder of the gfs.bern institute, which conducted the poll, told Swissinfo that the initiative appears unlikely to replicate the success of the 2014 vote against mass immigration.

The poll also showed a tightening race over proposed changes to Switzerland's Civilian Service Act, which would tighten the conditions for access to civilian service in order to guarantee army numbers.

Support for stricter access to civilian service fell to 48%, while opposition rose to 46%, leaving the two camps virtually tied ahead of the June 14 vote.