Fribourg risks losing German-speaking representation in government

The canton of Fribourg could have an all-French-speaking government after this autumn’s elections, as its two current German-speaking members are stepping down, SRF reports.

Only two of the 14 candidates have German as their first language, and both could fail to win a seat. If that happens, the canton’s roughly 25 per cent German-speaking population would be without representation in government for the first time in at least five decades.

Representation matters beyond the numbers

Political scientist Sean Müller says the outcome would not be an immediate crisis, but a lasting lack of representation could become a problem. The symbolism matters, he says: people need to feel included rather than excluded.

Müller considers an all-French-speaking government unlikely because parties have an interest in putting forward candidates from different regions. Even without a German-speaking member, French-speaking ministers could represent the minority’s concerns. Political views, gender and whether someone comes from an urban or rural area can also shape how people’s interests are represented.

Unlike some other regions, Fribourg has no guaranteed government seats for a language group. The French-speaking Jura in the canton of Bern and German-speaking districts in Valais have such guarantees, Müller says, which were introduced elsewhere in response to historical conflicts. He sees no urgent need for similar rules in Fribourg, where representation has so far been maintained without them.

Guarantees could raise further questions, including whether they should apply to other minorities and whether they should be based on a person’s origins or first language. Müller also says research he conducted found that a canton’s lack of representation in the Federal Council had minimal effects on voting behaviour; other factors, such as how directly people are affected by an issue, mattered more.

Still, language is closely tied to culture and identity, Müller says. A government also needs to explain its decisions in both of the canton’s languages. A government that remains monolingual could therefore affect how people see the bilingual canton. Müller says Fribourg should first trust voters, and discuss guarantees only if elections no longer provide adequate language representation.

Language debates have also surrounded public signs in Fribourg. The railway station’s signage became bilingual in 2012 after lengthy discussions.