[The Post] Switzerland has kept an application to join the European Union active for the last 24 years, however it has finally been abandoned.Switzerland shares the same concerns with joining the EU that has Britain questioning whether to stay in it. The people of Britain believe employee wages will go up if their country leaves the EU, and are also concerned with the inevitable influx of Middle Eastern refugees that will be sent to Britain if the country stays in the EU.
Switzerland formally applied to join the EU in 1992 but the people voted 50.3-49.7 against the decision. This popular opinion against joining the EU has remained constant over the years.
On the other hand, the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) has grown in popularity since this decision, becoming the #1 party since 2003 with its strongest polling results last year, influenced by the refugee crisis.
Swiss people have started to vote more like the Americans, supporting immigration but desiring a stronger control over who’s allowed into the country. They also have showed support for refugees who share the same values as the Swiss people, a quality that the Syrians do not possess.