Jura question Jura parliament gives green light for Moutier district
The transfer of Moutier BE to the canton of Jura has become more concrete. On Wednesday, the Jura parliament approved the bill to create a separate district for Moutier in the second reading.
The draft constitutional amendment was approved by 53 votes to 1. One SVP parliamentarian voted against the bill. There was no debate; the parliamentary groups and the government did not wish to take the floor.
The Jura electorate will decide on the amendment to the cantonal constitution on November 24. If Moutier is able to change cantons in 2026 as planned, the town would form a constituency in the fall 2025 elections and elect 7 out of 60 members of parliament for a five-year term.
The number of deputies in the other three districts would be reduced accordingly. The district of Delsberg would lose four seats, Pruntrut two and Franches-Montagnes one.
In a second step, a new method of distributing parliamentary seats is to be introduced 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.
On September 22, the voters of the cantons of Jura and Bern will decide on the modalities of Moutier's change of canton. After that, the approval of the federal councils is also required.
