Friborg State Councilor Jean-Pierre Siggen said he was 'fulfilled' on Monday at the end of his presidential year in 2024. The centrist magistrate experienced an exercise of 'work and simplicity', marked by the need to control the budget 2025.
'Dynamism, solidarity and sustainability', summarized Jean-Pierre Siggen, during his annual review press conference. 'I also had the pleasure of seeing the return of my colleague Sylvie Bonvin-Sansonnens at the start of the year (editor's note: who treated cancer at the end of 2023), added the one who is the big cantonal financier.
Jean-Pierre Siggen is coming out of a delicate year from a financial point of view. He had to complete a 2025 budget respecting the constitutional principle of balance. For next year, with the presidency of the executive to be handed over to Jean-François Steiert, the minister will have to face a plan to clean up the cantonal household.
Financial challenge
'We are starting a 'difficult period', admitted Jean-Pierre Siggen. 'The situation has been felt for months.' The 2025 budget appears to be 'of transition and responsibility', he recalled. Beyond that, the financial plan currently shows a funding shortfall of nearly 630 million francs until 2028.
Concerning the cantonal votes, the president noted three successes: the recapitalization of Friborg Public Transport (TPF) for the decarbonization of vehicles, the counter-project to the H24 initiative on emergencies as well as aid to the Friborg Hospital ( HFR), and additional family benefits.
70 press conferences
This year, the Council of State held 50 meetings in person and by circulation, five were devoted to the financial plan and eleven to the examination of the 2025 budget. The college adopted 1,142 decrees and responded to 132 consultations from the Confederation. Finally, he organized 70 press conferences, a record.
Beyond that, Jean-Pierre Siggen mentioned the support provided to the cantonal press, via the possibility for new citizens to take out a one-year digital subscription to a title. He has not forgotten the election of the former President of the Friborg Confederation Alain Berset to the general secretariat of the Council of Europe.
/ATS
