Source: NY Times:
BERLIN — Swiss and European leaders reacted warily on Monday to the narrow approval by Swiss voters of a proposal to limit the number of foreigners allowed to live and work in Switzerland.
A bare majority voted in a referendum on Sunday to cut immigration quotas and require that Swiss nationals be given priority in hiring. The result could have far-reaching implications for relations between Switzerland and the 28-member European Union, of which it is not a member.
Laurent Fabius, France’s foreign minister, said Monday that the European Union would have to reconsider its relationship with Switzerland.
“It is a vote that causes concern because it means that Switzerland wants to withdraw into itself,” Mr. Fabius told RTL radio.
Categories: Europe, Europe and Australia