Fusion and confusion

Switzerland is currently involved in a dynamic process of territorial change at a local level. This movement is anti- cyclical to the situation in most of the Western European countries, which carried out a policy of territorial reforms during the 1970’s. For several years, different cantons have been fine-tuning a policy for the fusion of communes, first Fribourg, and then Thurgau, Ticino, Valais, Lucerne and other cantons. Glaris made the strongest step, since the Landsgemeinde of 2006 decided to reduce the present 27 communes down to 3 in 2010. In other cantons (NE, VD), important projects have failed, due to the refusal of one or two communes out of a greater number involved in the project. In most cantons, the Constitution stipulates a univocal acceptation.