It has become a bit of a Swiss tradition that every other year or so, we vote on a xenophobic referendum that pretends to be about something else. Next weekend, we vote on the so-called «sustainability initiative» that would impose a hard cap on the population of Switzerland at 10 million (currently, we’re 9.1 million). According to recent polls, it looks more likely than not that it will fail, but it’s way too close for comfort. Carlos Hanimann, a colleague of mine at Republik, is tired of a country that keeps pretending it’s not about racism. His essay is in German, but I’m sure you’ll find a way to get it translated to your language. It’s worth it.

From Weekly Filet #574, in June 2026.