The Singine prefect, Manfred Raemy, who chairs the conference during this year 2025 recalled some significant events of 2024. The retirement of Willy Schorderet, prefect of the Glâne, was a strong moment, hailed by his colleagues and institutional partners. He was replaced by Valentin Bard, elected in April, who quickly found his place in the prefectural team.
During the year, the Conference of Prefects met 11 times, testifying to the vitality of interregional dialogue and the importance of the subjects treated. The prefects also multiplied exchanges with the cantonal authorities: several meetings took place, in particular with the Council of State, various cantonal directions as well as with the prefects of the canton of Bern, in a logic of intercantonal cooperation. Discussions have also been carried out with key partner organizations such as the association of Friborg municipalities (ACF), the Friborg Tourism Union (UFT), the ECAB, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Canton of Friborg (CCIF), the employers’ union of the canton of Friborg (UPCF), Innov-FR and AFISA.
In 2024, the prefect conference took a position 16 times in the context of cantonal consultations, actively contributing to the development of public policies.
Manfred Raemy recalled that, in the canton, the population now amounts to 346,589 inhabitants spread in 126 municipalities.
To manage all their missions at the service of citizens, the prefectures have 61 employees (44.4 full -time equivalents), a slight increase of 0.3 EPT compared to last year. Their tasks are multiple, as shown by Manfred Raemy, stopping on the statistics of building permits, criminal orders, demonstrations, beer stakes and operating authorizations of … Mines.
The elements presented by Manfred Raemy testify to the constant commitment of prefects to guarantee a strong link between regions and the cantonal authorities, in a spirit of public service and proximity.
-It is this last theme that then addressed the prefect of Gruyère, Vincent Bosson. He returned to the event “Welcome to the heart of the district” organized in March 2025. The first edition of the open day of the prefectures was marked by a participation of nearly 1,500 people.
To illustrate proximity to citizens, the prefect of La Gruyère also looked at the conciliations organized by the prefectures. In 2024, in the criminal field, 297 attempts at conciliation were carried out, of which 170 led. Conciliation, underlined Vincent Bosson, makes it possible to resolve conflicts quickly, by avoiding long legal proceedings and sustainable tensions. He also noted that conciliation is not limited to criminal affairs. It is also exercised within the framework of administrative appeals, general surveillance procedures and relations with the municipalities.
The prefectures are indeed very close to the latter. They play a role of advice, mediation and support for the authorities and for the municipal administrations.
To conclude, he noted the essential links that the prefectures ensure between the population, the municipal authorities and the State. It is the heart of their profession.
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