Unfortunately, Swiss Voters Have Backed Immigration Restrictions

Yesterday, 50.3 percent of Swiss voters
backed a limit on immigration in a referendum. The
vote nullifies the free movement of people between the European
Union and Switzerland. According to the
Associated Press, “The decision follows a successful
last-minute campaign by nationalist groups that stoked fears of
overpopulation and rising numbers of Muslims in the Alpine
nation.”

The euroskeptic nationalist Swiss People’s Party (SVP), the
party with the most number of seats in the Federal Assembly,
campaigned in favor of the immigration restriction.

Although not part of the E.U., Switzerland has adopted many of
the the bloc’s policies such as the free movement of people.
Understandably, the result of the referendum have not been welcomed
by Brussels, and the president of the European Parliament has said
that Switzerland should
expect treaties with the E.U. to be reviewed.

The Swiss vote is undoubtedly bad news for fans of the E.U., an
organization that is rightly criticized for its undemocratic
structure, subsidies, absurd bureaucracy, and fondness for
regulation. However, euroskeptics of the classical liberal variety
should not applaud Swiss immigration controls.

As City A.M.’s
Allister Heath rightly points out, there are some aspects of
the E.U. that are supported by classical liberal euroskeptics, such
as “the free movement of goods, services, capital and people.”
Unfortunately, the Swiss voted against one of the few policies the
E.U. should be praised for, the free movement of people.

The illiberal nature of the recently-approved Swiss immigration
restrictions can be highlighted by those praising the vote.

Geert Wilders, the leader of the euroskeptic Dutch Party for
Freedom who recently formed
an informal alliance with Marine Le Pen of the French National
Front, tweeted
the following in response to news of the recent Swiss vote,“What
the Swiss can do, we can do too: cut immigration and leave the EU.
Fantastic!”

Marine Le Pen also tweeted
her approved of the referendum result.

The National Front and the Party for Freedom are not sympathetic
to classical liberalism, and are based on the worrying combination
of xenophobia and nationalism.

Responding to news of the Swiss vote
Nigel Farage, the leader of the euroskeptic United Kingdom
Independence Party (UKIP), said that “This is wonderful news for
national sovereignty and freedom lovers throughout Europe.” Of
course, it’s not “wonderful news” for “freedom lovers” if you
believe that people should be free to move where they want in order
to improve their lives.

As the European Elections approach it should not be surprising
if the Swiss People’s Party, UKIP, the Party for Freedom, and the
National Front use more of the sort of freedom rhetoric
demonstrated by Farage. It’s worth remembering that supporters of
euroskeptic parties are very particular about the freedoms they
approve of.

The Swiss vote may well be a blow to the to the E.U., but it was
also a blow to those who support the free movement of people, one
of the E.U.’s only good policies.