Swiss citizens are voting on Sunday in two major and contentious referendums, one proposing to limit immigration to keep the national population below 10 million by 2050, and another to tighten access to civilian service as an alternative to military duty. The votes, held under Switzerland’s direct democracy system, are expected to be closely contested, with polls showing narrow margins. Most ballots were cast by mail, and early results are expected by Sunday afternoon.

The far-right Swiss People’s Party (SVP) initiated the “No to a 10 Million Switzerland” proposal, arguing that excessive immigration has caused housing shortages, rising rents, crowded trains, and traffic congestion. Critics, including the government, parliament, and business sectors, warn that the measure could harm the economy and strain relations with the European Union. Justice Minister Beat Jans described the vote as highly significant, cautioning that it could trigger a “Brexit-like” scenario for Switzerland.

Recent surveys indicate that opponents of the immigration cap hold a slight lead, but for the proposal to pass, it must win both a majority of votes and support from more than half of Switzerland’s 26 cantons.