GENEVA — Swiss voters have rejected a proposal to automatically expel foreigners who commit even low-level crimes, according to results, handing a setback to a popular nationalist party that had put forward the measure.

The initiative was rejected Sunday by 59 percent of voters, the government website showed.

It was the most controversial of a number of national and local issues in the referendum, propelling voter turnout to top more than 62 percent — which the state broadcaster said was the highest since 1992.

The outcome comes as a blow to the Swiss People’s Party, which had campaigned for the plan, and was a turnaround from opinion polls last year.

The Swiss government had opposed the measure. Federal councilor Simonetta Sommaruga praised a push by advocacy groups to help rebuff the measure, telling RTS television that voters had sent the message: ‘‘Human rights are important in our country: They should not be restricted.’’

Associated Press