Switzerland Holds Divisive Vote on Immigration Cap and Military Service

Swiss head to polls in divisive anti-immigration vote

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Swiss voters will decide the fate of two contentious proposals on Sunday, including a cap on the country's population and restrictions on conscientious objection to military service.

Opinion polls suggest both votes could be tight, with the first results expected by mid-afternoon.

The "No to a Switzerland with 10 million!" initiative, put forward by the hard-right Swiss People's Party, aims to stop the country's population from exceeding 10 million before 2050.

Foreigners make up over a quarter of the population, and critics warn that the proposal could cause "chaos" and cripple the economy and Switzerland's relations with the European Union.

The government, parliament, and multiple sectors of the economy oppose the initiative, but opinion polls indicate opposition to the proposal is nudging ahead.

The second vote concerns a bill to make civilian service less attractive and less accessible, which the political left argues is dangerous and could lead to the alternative to military service being scrapped altogether.