Jura calculates 140 million franc cost for Moutier transfer

The canton of Jura expects the transfer of Moutier to cost 140 million Swiss francs over the next five years, SRF reported. The financially strained canton cannot cover the cost alone and is relying on payments from Bern and other cantons.

Jura’s population grew by 10 percent after Moutier joined the canton. But Jura has only around 50 million francs in equity and has struggled for years to balance its budgets and address structural deficits.

Bern will pay Jura 75 million francs. The canton of Bern will continue receiving funds for Moutier from Switzerland’s national financial equalisation system until 2032. After that, the resource index will be adjusted and Jura will receive the corresponding equalisation payments directly.

Six cantons pledge 65 million francs

Jura had expected more funding from Bern, but Fanny Noghero, the canton’s foreign affairs representative, said the expectations had been too far apart for a compromise to be reached.

Zurich, Basel and Geneva will now provide most of the additional support. Vaud, Zug and Schaffhausen are also expected to contribute smaller amounts. Under a written agreement, the six cantons have pledged to pay Jura a total of 65 million francs by 2032.

Geneva will provide more than 22 million francs, the largest contribution. Geneva Finance Director Nathalie Fontanet said she had requested the money from the cantonal finance commission and expected parliament to approve it.

“This is an act of Swiss solidarity,” Fontanet said. Basel-Stadt Finance Director Tanja Soland said the same principle was important to her. “We are finance directors of our cantons. But ultimately, we also work for the good of the country,” she said.

Federal government applies pressure

Fontanet and Soland are confident that their cantonal parliaments will approve the payments. The federal government is applying pressure in the background: if the populous urban cantons do not support Jura, they face annual cuts of 140 million francs.

Fontanet warned that Geneva would lose 45 million francs a year if the so-called socio-demographic cost compensation were abolished.

Noghero said Jura was grateful to the contributing cantons, which could not be legally compelled to provide the financial support. However, she said the canton had no alternative plan.

Moutier officially became part of Jura on January 1, 2026, after voters approved the move from Bern in a referendum on March 28, 2021.