Swiss reject divisive anti-immigration proposal

Swiss authorities and economic players breathed a sigh of relief Sunday after voters narrowly rejected a divisive anti-immigration proposal to cap the country's population, which had sparked warnings of "chaos".

After a tight race, nearly 55 percent of Swiss voters rejected the "No to a Switzerland with 10 million!" initiative, put forward by the hard-right Swiss People's Party (SVP), according to initial projections from the gfs.bern institute.

Swiss Justice Minister Beat Jans welcomed the vote, telling a press conference that the Swiss people "have sent a signal of stability, openness, and reliability".

The rejected proposal called for measures to stop the wealthy Alpine nation's population -- currently 9.1 million -- going above 10 million before 2050.

In a country where foreigners make up more than a quarter of the population, the proposal, if accepted, would have slammed the brakes on immigration.

The SVP, Switzerland's largest party, insisted drastic measures were needed, blaming "mass immigration" for a host of problems, from housing shortages and rising rents to overcrowded trains and traffic jams.

The initiative faced broad opposition from the government, parliament and multiple sectors of the economy.AFP