Canton of Jura votes on the creation of the district of Moutier
Published: Friday, Nov 1st 2024, 10:50
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Following the adoption of the concordat on the change of canton of Moutier, the Jura electorate will decide on November 24 on the creation of a fourth district. The municipality of 7200 inhabitants would form a constituency with 7 out of 60 members of parliament for one legislative term.
This amendment to the cantonal constitution gives no cause for discussion in the Jura. Parliament approved it on September 4 in the second reading by 53 votes to 1. If, as expected, it is also approved at the ballot box, the Jura will have a fourth district consisting of just one municipality on January 1, 2026, the date of the change of canton.
Moutier would elect its seven council members for a five-year legislative term in the cantonal elections in the fall of 2025. This means that the representation of the other three districts in parliament will shrink. As a result, Delsberg will lose 4 seats, Pruntrut 2 and Franches-Montagnes 1.
The creation of the new district will implement the integration of the "still Bernese" municipality of Moutier.
Constituencies to be reorganized later
The second step will be to introduce a new allocation formula for parliamentary seats in order to comply with the case law of the Federal Supreme Court. In the long term, Moutier will not have a sufficient number of inhabitants to form a permanent constituency on its own.
The government will therefore examine various options, such as the creation of a single constituency for the entire canton. It could also introduce a new distribution of parliamentary seats or a new division of constituencies.
When the Jura became its own canton in 1979, it decided to divide its territory into districts. Today, the districts have administrative prerogatives such as issuing permits, concluding payment agreements and issuing various certificates.
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