Non-profit organization to continue managing Rütli meadow
Published: Tuesday, Oct 15th 2024, 17:30
Zurück zu Live Feed
The Swiss Society for the Common Good should continue to manage the Rütli, as it has done for over 160 years. This is the opinion of the responsible Council of States committee. It is asking the Council of States to reject a motion calling for the federal government to take over this task.
The Council of States' Political Institutions Committee (SPK-S) initially discussed the question of whether only the federal celebration on the Rütli meadow should be organized by the federal government. According to a statement from the parliamentary services on Tuesday, a majority would have supported a corresponding amendment to the motion.
However, the committee then voted against the amended motion by 9 votes to 3. The majority rejected a central federal celebration organized by the Confederation, which would overshadow the local celebrations, saying that the Rütli, as a simple symbol of Swiss history, should not be exaggerated and politicized on a national scale.
Hearings had also shown that cooperation between the non-profit organization, neighbouring cantons and the federal government was working. The motion was submitted by SVP parliamentary group leader and National Councillor Thomas Aeschi (ZG). Last April, the National Council voted in favor of the motion by 98 votes to 84, with four abstentions.
The Federal Council is against the proposal. In its statement, it recalled the deeds of donation of 1860 and 1917, according to which the Rütli was handed over to the Confederation as inalienable national property, with the proviso that its administration be transferred to the Swiss Society for the Common Good. The SPK-S must respect this will of the donor.
©Keystone/SDA
German 
English 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic