Democracy in action – Glarus holds a Landsgemeinde again – with important topics – News


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At the first Landsgemeinde without corona-related restrictions since 2019, those entitled to vote in the ring also have to vote on car-free Sundays in the Klöntal.

    There are 17 items on the agenda, including important energy and state policy issues. Among other things, the Klöntal should be car-free on eight Sundays in summer and autumn. The planned tax increase, the abolition of the state guarantee for the Glarner Kantonalbank and the abolition of the upper age limit for councilors and militia judges are also up for discussion.

    Numerous guests of honor such as Federal Councilor Viola Amherd, the government councilor of the canton of Basel-Landschaft or Thomas Süssli, head of the army, have been invited. The supporting program will also take place again in 2022, such as the traditional flea market on Saturday in front of the rural community.

Legend:

Since 9:30 a.m., the people of Glarus have been deciding on the submissions to the Landsgemeinde.

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The first decisions have already been made. The people of Glarner agree to a tax increase. It had to be voted on twice. Then it was clear: taxes in the canton of Glarus will be increased from 53 to 58 percent. As requested by the governor. The SVP wanted to leave taxes at 53 percent.

Kantonalbank will not be privatised

The Landsgemeinde wants to retain the state guarantee for the Glarner Kantonalbank GLKB. The GLKB was created at the Landsgemeinde in 1883. In the 2000s, the bank pursued a risky growth strategy. This necessitated value adjustments of 96.8 million francs, and the bank posted a loss of 56.8 million francs in the 2008 financial statements. The politicians reacted immediately. The bank realigned itself. The conditions for the abolition of the state guarantee would now have been given for the government and the district administrator.

energy issues


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Climate protection should be included in the Glarner constitution
Climate protection should have its own constitutional article. Everyone in the governor agreed on that. The main argument there was still about the wording of the article: Left-Green demanded tightening, while the SVP wanted to soften it. Even if this constitutional change is primarily symbolic, it should be accepted by the Landsgemeinde. The decision follows in agenda item 14.

The funding pot for energy projects is to be replenished
Another amendment to the energy law is up for debate, this time it is about the energy fund. This subsidy pot was created 12 years ago at the Landsgemeinde and supports energetic renovations or renewable energies. However, the pot is slowly emptying and, according to the district administrator, should be replenished with CHF 24 million by 2035. This amount of money was disputed in the district administrator. The Landsgemeinde decides in agenda item 16.

You can look forward to the following decision: Are there car-free Sundays in the Klöntal? The Klöntal is a popular local recreation area, but was discovered by all of Switzerland during the Corona pandemic. Accordingly, it was completely overcrowded on some nice weekends. The young Greens are therefore demanding that on some Sundays in summer and autumn the valley can only be reached by public transport.

With this template, they are concerned with the climate, but above all with more sustainable tourism. The template is only supported by the Greens and the SP. A similar proposal was discussed 30 years ago but rejected.

In her welcome speech, Landammann Marianne Lienhard underlined the importance of direct democracy. It offers citizens numerous instruments to bring about political changes. Lienhard emphasized in particular the form of the Glarner Landsgemeinde, in which the people can vote on site and submit amendments. Progressive decisions have often been made here that the preparatory parliament considered too radical – such as the introduction of women’s suffrage fifty years ago.

218 pages of voting material

There are also aftermaths of the pandemic in this rural community. The agenda is almost as rich as the last one, political business is still backing up because of the canceled Landsgemeinde 2020.

A rural community without restrictions

The Glarner voters will deal with 17 agenda items this time. That Memorial, i.e. the summary of all transactions, is no longer as thick as an encyclopedia. If you want to prepare seriously, you have to read 218 pages.

Last year the Landsgemeinde was moved from May to September. Masks were compulsory in September. The parish was poorly attended. This year the Landsgemeinde takes place as usual on the first Sunday in May.

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