The year 2026 will be pivotal for Switzerland’s European policy. The Swiss Parliament is set to debate agreements with the European Union, while the public will vote on a UDC initiative calling for limits on immigration.
In March, the Federal Council will present its message to Parliament on the EU agreements package. Officials from all parties are eagerly anticipating these debates, starting with representatives from the UDC. The party has long been preparing its campaign against the EU, using communications, podcasts, and popular initiatives.
The initiative, called “No Switzerland at 10 Million”, aims to limit the size of Switzerland’s population by restricting immigration and, if necessary, renegotiating previously signed agreements with Brussels. Opponents fear that if approved, the bilateral agreements I and II could fail, reports RTS via albinfo.ch.
If the UDC initiative passes, the new agreements would already face a strong disadvantage. The UDC would hold a strategic advantage even before the Switzerland-EU package vote, scheduled for 2027 or 2028.
Growing public interest
“European issues have become increasingly important for voters,” says Rahel Freiburghaus, assistant professor of Swiss politics at the University of Lausanne, in La Matinale, noting that these issues now rank as the “third major challenge” for voters, with healthcare costs remaining the primary concern.
Freiburghaus partly attributes this shift to the “more complex international context, especially following Donald Trump’s return to the White House.”
