Mergers: There are 162 fewer municipalities in Switzerland than ten years ago

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Fewer administrative employees are needed for a merger. “This alleviates the shortage of skilled workers, which also exists in municipal authorities, and can be financially beneficial,” said Christoph Niederberger, association director of the SGV, when asked by the Keystone-SDA news agency.

Merged communities would also benefit from a professionalization of local governance, the report said. Small communities in particular would benefit from new or expanded services thanks to the new administration. Many communities already work together in the areas of fire brigade, water supply or waste management.

As the SGV writes in its latest newsletter, 1,391 of the communities counted in 2024 are located in German-speaking Switzerland. This corresponds to a share of 65.3 percent. 619 (29 percent) municipalities or cities are French-speaking and 121 (5.7 percent) Italian-speaking.

According to the census, most communities are located in the canton of Bern, with 335 communities. Behind it lies the canton of Vaud with 300 municipalities. The fewest municipalities are in the cantons of Glarus (3 municipalities), Basel-Stadt (3) and Appenzell-Innerrhoden (5).

As of January 1, 2024, five municipalities in Switzerland have merged. In the canton of Aargau, Turgi and Baden became the municipality of Baden AG. In the canton of Bern, Reutigen and Zwieselberg merged into the municipality of Reutigen BE, and Wangen an der Aare and Wangenried merged into the municipality of Wangen an der Aare BE.

In the canton of Solothurn, Buchegg and Lüterswil-Gächliwil merged to form the municipality of Buchegg SO. The only municipal merger in Latin Switzerland took place between Beurnevésin and Bonfol. The villages now run under the name Basse-Vendline JU.

(SDA)

Source:Blick