Political rights Minimum wage initiators consider state liability action against the city of Bern

The disappearance without trace of 1600 initiative signatures in Bern's city chancellery could have legal repercussions. The minimum wage initiative committee is considering legal action against the city.

The focus is on the possibility of a state liability suit with claims for damages, the committee announced on Monday. The municipal council had previously announced that the collection deadline had been adjusted and signatures could still be collected until January 15. Originally, the collection period would have expired on November 1.

This decision is to be welcomed, the committee announced. However, the damage caused to the initiative and direct democracy is by no means compensated for. The collection of signatures will now be intensified.

Anyone who signed the initiative between the beginning of May and mid-July will be asked to sign the petition again. The 1600 signatures that disappeared are said to have been collected during this period. The postal item was lost at the city chancellery.

The initiators had demanded that the lost signatures be declared valid. The fact that the city government did not comply with this request was disappointing, the committee announced.