Vaud: new law to have more “strong” municipalities

Vaud: new law to have more “strong” municipalities


The Vaud Council of State proposes to completely review the law on the municipalities. Its preliminary project, put in consultation until the end of March, aims to improve the operation of the 300 municipalities in the canton and make them more independent.

“We want strong municipalities,” said the Christelle Luisier press on Monday on Monday, the State Councilor in charge of institutions. She recalled that the current law dates from 1956 and that, despite several adjustments in recent years, it has not been adapted to the challenges to which the municipalities must respond.

Due to “increasingly complex” tasks, the Council of State wants in particular to “professionalize” municipal administrations. This would be a question of providing free training for “certain key positions”, such as scholarship holders or municipal secretaries, so that they benefit from a minimum base of skills, explained Christelle Luisier. Minimum rates would also be taxed to occupy these positions.

“Federate” municipalities

The draft law also aims to “strengthen collegiality” within municipalities, regularly confronted with resignations and, sometimes, with real crises like in recent years in Vevey, Nyon or Prilly. The municipal executives would be forced to draw up an operating regulations, but also a real legislature program.

The idea is to “federate” elected officials around a “common project”, said Jean-Luc Schwaar, director general of institutional affairs and municipalities. If some municipalities already do, it would be necessary to “generalize” this practice, he noted.

The new law should also make it possible to “better define” the role of the canton with the municipalities, is essentially “a support role”, continued Christelle Luisier.

Among the other points of the preliminary project, the former Payerne union also mentioned the need to “clarify” what are the reasons that could cause the suspension or the revocation of an elected official.

Fewer inter -municipal structures

The Council of State also wishes to limit the size of the associations of municipalities, often too large and therefore “difficult to manage”. These associations also make decisions which “escape democratically elected authorities”, continued Christelle Luisier. As for inter -municipal agreements, often “far too vague”, they should no longer exist.

Instead, the new law offers the use, for very specific needs, of “administrative law contracts” between two municipalities, explained Jean-Luc Schwaar.

Among the other new features of the new law, it is planned to provide the municipalities with instruments allowing better financial management. This will include the introduction of financial plans and investments over five years. Stressing the delay of the canton of Vaud compared to its neighbors, Christelle Luisier explained that the municipalities should introduce mechanisms to better control the evolution of their finances, via various indicators for example.

Expected for July 2026

Finally, note that the bill is not binding on merger. “We will continue to encourage interested municipalities, but also to provide them with technical and financial support. The decision to embark on a merger process, however, belongs to the local population,” said the minister.

The consultation on the bill of the Council of State is open until March 31. The project will then be adapted and subject to the Grand Council. The entry into force of the law is expected on July 1, 2026, at the same time as the start of the new municipal legislature.

Sophie Vassin with Keystone Ats

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