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Bern City Council: Return to the seven-member municipal council in sight
The Bern city parliament is in favor of a seven-member municipal council in order to better deal with challenges. Now the decision lies with the people. Learn more!
Bern City Council: Return to the seven-member municipal council in sight
A decisive initiative is causing a stir in Bern: the majority of the city parliament has decided to expand the municipal council from five to seven members. A corresponding intergroup motion was approved on Thursday with 40 votes to 21. This decision means that the municipal council will now prepare a revision of the municipal regulations. Ultimately, the population has to vote on it.
The discussion about the number of seats on the local council is not new. Until 2004, the local council consisted of seven members, until a popular initiative by the FDP entitled “5 instead of 7” was accepted by the citizens. The justification at the time was that the city administration had become smaller due to outsourcing and financial savings, which also required a smaller management team.
Future challenges
However, circumstances have changed significantly over the last two decades. Bern has experienced strong population growth, and issues such as climate change and digital transformation have become key challenges for the city. Bernadette Häfliger (SP) argued that a seven-member government could handle these tasks better because responsibilities would be distributed across multiple shoulders and members would have more time for political work.
The urban development is also underlined by the comparison with cities such as Basel and Lausanne, which already have seven government members. Anna Leissing (GB/JA) added that a larger number of seats could ensure that the population is better represented.
The argument of diversity in government is also discussed. Francesca Chukwunyere (GFL) pointed out that with only five seats, power was heavily concentrated in the major parties. An expansion would give smaller parties a chance to win seats and thus lead to a more diverse political landscape.
Resistance from the center-right camp
Janina Aeberhard (GLP/JGLP) expressed skepticism about the efficiency of a seven-member government. She fears that decision-making may become more complicated and the administrative structure may not be efficient. Critics like Sibyl Eigenmann from the center also warn that it remains a challenge for smaller parties to fight for a safe seat.
The next vote on increasing the size of the local council is scheduled for the end of 2025 or 2026, which means that there could be clarity in the upcoming elections in 2028. Mayor Alec von Graffenried (GFL) noted that the question of voters' will was legitimate and needed to be addressed.
The topic is followed with excitement; A more comprehensive analysis of the possible expansion of the Bern municipal council, including the associated advantages and disadvantages, can be found in the detailed report www.derbund.ch be read.