Moutier enters this January 1, 2025 in the final sprint which will take him to the canton of Jura, in exactly one year. The Provost city thus begins its last year in Berne this Wednesday. Mayor Marcel Winistoerfer gave us an interview to discuss the preparations still underway during this period which he describes as “special”.
The least we can say is that there is still work to be done. “We have entered a phase of realization since September 22 and the acceptance of the Concordat. People meet by sector of activity. We must not believe that everything will happen on the night of January 1, 2026! But for the moment, everything is going very well,” confides Marcel Winistoerfer. Who adds to underline the mass of work still to be accomplished: “The so-called practical part is still to be done. We must review our municipal regulations and everything that affects taxation. And there, the Provost population will still have to vote on these two points, I dare to hope in the first half of the year. We have to be ready! “. The authorities will also have to prepare the 2026 budget, which will be the first Jura version of the city. And then, the rights holders of Moutier will participate for the first time – next fall – in the Jura cantonal elections. Seven seats in Parliament will be allocated to the city. “We have to make people want to participate and feel involved. It will considerably enliven political life in Moutier, I am convinced,” estimates Marcel Winistoerfer.
Appeasement on track
The year 2025 must also be devoted to appeasement in the Provost city after the various votes linked to the institutional question. The return to serenity already seems to be well underway. “I think so. I was able to see this for myself, for example at the Farmers’ Market or at various events in town. People are together, talking to each other. I really think we are entering a new phase. That makes me happy,” said the mayor.
Finally, Marcel Winistoerfer salutes the good relations that Moutier maintains with the various political institutions. Once in the Jura, the elected official believes that the city will contribute to the financial recovery of his new canton. “It’s not just a hope, it’s a conviction. Both parties will win in the long run. To the Jura communes, I can also certify that we will do our part, clearly and precisely,” proclaims Marcel Winistoerfer.
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