![\"Residents](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/692857570_highres.jpg\")
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Residents of Moutier take part in celebrations to mark the town’s historic transition from canton Bern to canton Jura, December 31, 2025. <\/p>\n
Keystone \/ Jean-Christophe Bott <\/p>\n
At the stroke of midnight on Wednesday, the Swiss town of Moutier and its 7,300 inhabitants officially switched from canton Bern to canton Jura in northwestern Switzerland.\n<\/p>\n
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January 1, 2026 – 15:43\n<\/p>\n
+Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe town will rediscover its natural home,\u201d Mayor Marcel Winistoerfer told 300 people in front of the town hall.<\/p>\n The residents of Moutier will be privileged to experience intense and extraordinary emotions with this change of canton, said the pro-Jura mayor, adding that a new, emotional, and adventurous chapter would enrich the country\u2019s history.<\/p>\n Swiss Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, who hails from canton Jura, attended the event in a private capacity. A banquet for 1,200 people, a torchlight procession, and a light and sound show were organised.<\/p>\n \u2018A unique process\u2019<\/p>\n The vice president of the Jura government, St\u00e9phane Theurillat, also spoke of a historic event in his address. \u201cWhat we are experiencing tonight goes far beyond current events and is part of a long struggle for a united Jura \u2013 a struggle that entire generations have waged with conviction,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The Jura cantonal government described the process of changing cantons as unique in Switzerland.<\/p>\n In a more militant speech, C\u00e9dric Erard, president of the \u201cMoutier Ville jurassienne\u201d committee, said the fight for Moutier\u2019s cantonal affiliation had been hard. Much time had been lost through appeals that had been accepted \u201cby an arbitrary and remotely controlled judiciary\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n Erard felt that the wishes of Moutier\u2019s neighbouring municipality, Belprahon, had been ignored. \u201cDear friends from Belprahon, don\u2019t give up,\u201d he told the residents of the village, to the applause of those present.<\/p>\n \n More<\/p>\n More <\/p>\n Swiss Politics\n <\/p>\n Bye bye Bern: Moutier to join canton Jura by 2026 <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Sep 22, 2021 <\/p>\n The cantons of Bern and Jura have signed a road map on the politically delicate issue of how the town of Moutier will switch allegiance. <\/p>\n![\"Moutier](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/6163a1dc1d4eed3dc9ecf5143ff68fe3-449021343_highres-data.jpg\")
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