Jurassic separatism
Encyclopedia
Jurassic separatism is a regionalist
independence movement in the Bernese Jura
.
The "Jurassic question" (; ) is the question of secession of the Jura region from Berne
, implemented partially as three of seven districts formed the Canton of Jura
in 1979, while the remaining four opted to remain with Berne.
(1815), where the Jurassic
territories of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel
were given to Berne.
The "Jurassic question" was a topic in Swiss politics between 1947 and 1974.
In 1947, a separatist Comité de Moutier was formed. By 1949, the separatist movement was officially constituted as the Rassemblement jurassien. In 1952, the opposing anti-separatist side was constituted as the Union des patriotes jurassiens (UPJ). A group of militant young separatists known as the Béliers ("rams") was formed in 1963, which by 1973 received its anti-separatist counterpart in the group Sangliers ("wild boars").
The cantonal government of Berne formed an official commission charged with the resolution of the conflict in 1967.
On 23 June 1974, a cantonal poll was held resulting in the decision to form a new canton of Jura.
In a second poll of 16 March 1975, the three districts of Delémont
, Porrentruy
and Franches-Montagnes
opted to secede, while the four districts of Courtelary
, La Neuveville
, Moutier
and Laufon voted in favour of remaining with Berne.
In 1977, the population of what was going to be the new canton ratified the cantonal constitution.
Finally, the population of Switzerland in a national referendum accepted the accession of the new canton to the Swiss Confederacy with a 82.3% majority, and the new canton was officially created in 1 January 1979.
Laufon was now a Bernese exclave, wedged between the new canton, Solothurn
and Basel-Landschaft.
In a 1980 vote, the population of Laufon voted to join Basel-Landschaft, and after a transitional period the move was effected in 1994. The three Bernese districts of Courtelary, La Neuveville and Moutier were united as the single district Jura bernois
in 2001.
With the creation of the canton of Jura, militant activism declined, but there remained a politically active irredentist movement in the Bernese Jura
. In particular, the municipality of Vellerat
found itself in the canton of Berne, but it could only be reached via roads from the canton of Jura. Vellerat proclaimed itself a "free municipality" and campaigned to join the new canton, which it eventually did in 1996.
The Béliers continued to engage in acts of vandalism
to express their outrage at what they claimed were irregularities in the plebiscites of 1974 and 1975, among other things stealing the Unspunnenstein in 1984, and destroying the historical statue of the Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen in Berne in 1986.
In 1994, the Mouvement autonomiste jurassien (MAJ) was formed from a fusion of the Rassemblement jurassien (RJ) and the Unité jurassienne (UJ) groups. Another separatist group is Mouvement Indépendantiste Jurassien (MIJ), formed in 1990.
Due to the remaining separatist faction in Moutier
, another poll was held in 1998, but the disctrict again decided to remain Bernese. But in 2006, the autonomist parties gained a majority in the regional elections. In the same year, a Conseil du Jura bernois was formed, the only example of a regional parliament in Switzerland.
A new suggestion was published in 2007 by the Assemblée InterJurassienne (AIJ), to the effect that two "half-cantons" should be formed from the existing canton of Jura and the Bernese Jura.
Regionalism (politics)
Regionalism is a term used in international relations. Regionalism also constitutes one of the three constituents of the international commercial system...
independence movement in the Bernese Jura
Bernese Jura
Bernese Jura is the name for the French-speaking area of the Swiss canton of Bern, and from 2010 one of five administrative divisions of the canton....
.
The "Jurassic question" (; ) is the question of secession of the Jura region from Berne
Canton of Berne
The Canton of Bern is the second largest of the 26 Swiss cantons by both surface area and population. Located in west-central Switzerland, it borders the Canton of Jura and the Canton of Solothurn to the north. To the west lie the Canton of Neuchâtel, the Canton of Fribourg and Vaud. To the south...
, implemented partially as three of seven districts formed the Canton of Jura
Canton of Jura
The Republic and Canton of the Jura , also known as the Canton of Jura or Canton Jura, is one of the cantons of Switzerland. It is the newest of the 26 Swiss cantons, located in the northwestern part of Switzerland. The capital is Delémont...
in 1979, while the remaining four opted to remain with Berne.
History
Historically, the conflict originates with the Congress of ViennaCongress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
(1815), where the Jurassic
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
territories of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel
Prince-Bishopric of Basel
The Prince-Bishopric of Basel was a historical feudal state within the Holy Roman Empire, from 1032 ruled by Prince-Bishops, whose seat was at Basel until 1528 and in Porrentruy until 1792...
were given to Berne.
The "Jurassic question" was a topic in Swiss politics between 1947 and 1974.
In 1947, a separatist Comité de Moutier was formed. By 1949, the separatist movement was officially constituted as the Rassemblement jurassien. In 1952, the opposing anti-separatist side was constituted as the Union des patriotes jurassiens (UPJ). A group of militant young separatists known as the Béliers ("rams") was formed in 1963, which by 1973 received its anti-separatist counterpart in the group Sangliers ("wild boars").
The cantonal government of Berne formed an official commission charged with the resolution of the conflict in 1967.
On 23 June 1974, a cantonal poll was held resulting in the decision to form a new canton of Jura.
In a second poll of 16 March 1975, the three districts of Delémont
Delémont (district)
Delémont District is one of the three districts of the canton of Jura, Switzerland. Its capital, and that of the canton, is the city of Delémont...
, Porrentruy
Porrentruy (district)
Porrentruy District is one of the three districts of the canton of Jura, Switzerland. Its capital is the town of Porrentruy. The French-speaking district has a population of .-Municipalities:Porrentruy is divided into a total of 23 municipalities:...
and Franches-Montagnes
Franches-Montagnes (district)
Franches-Montagnes District is one of the three districts of the canton of Jura, Switzerland. Its capital is the town of Saignelégier. The French-speaking district has a population of .-Municipalities:...
opted to secede, while the four districts of Courtelary
Courtelary (district)
Courtelary District was located in Switzerland and was one of the 3 French-speaking districts of the Bernese Jura. The district was located in the canton of Bern with the seat being Courtelary. It had a population of about 22'224 in 2004....
, La Neuveville
La Neuveville (district)
La Neuveville District was one of the 3 French-speaking districts of the Bernese Jura in the canton of Bern with the seat being La Neuveville. It had a population of about 6,083 in 2004.-References:...
, Moutier
Moutier (district)
Moutier District was one of the 3 French-speaking districts of the Bernese Jura in the canton of Bern with the seat being Moutier. It had a population of about 23'098 in 2004.-References:...
and Laufon voted in favour of remaining with Berne.
In 1977, the population of what was going to be the new canton ratified the cantonal constitution.
Finally, the population of Switzerland in a national referendum accepted the accession of the new canton to the Swiss Confederacy with a 82.3% majority, and the new canton was officially created in 1 January 1979.
Laufon was now a Bernese exclave, wedged between the new canton, Solothurn
Canton of Solothurn
Solothurn is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the northwest of Switzerland. The capital is Solothurn.-History:The territory of the canton comprises land acquired by the capital...
and Basel-Landschaft.
In a 1980 vote, the population of Laufon voted to join Basel-Landschaft, and after a transitional period the move was effected in 1994. The three Bernese districts of Courtelary, La Neuveville and Moutier were united as the single district Jura bernois
Bernese Jura
Bernese Jura is the name for the French-speaking area of the Swiss canton of Bern, and from 2010 one of five administrative divisions of the canton....
in 2001.
With the creation of the canton of Jura, militant activism declined, but there remained a politically active irredentist movement in the Bernese Jura
Bernese Jura
Bernese Jura is the name for the French-speaking area of the Swiss canton of Bern, and from 2010 one of five administrative divisions of the canton....
. In particular, the municipality of Vellerat
Vellerat
Vellerat is a municipality in the district of Delémont in the canton of Jura in Switzerland....
found itself in the canton of Berne, but it could only be reached via roads from the canton of Jura. Vellerat proclaimed itself a "free municipality" and campaigned to join the new canton, which it eventually did in 1996.
The Béliers continued to engage in acts of vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
to express their outrage at what they claimed were irregularities in the plebiscites of 1974 and 1975, among other things stealing the Unspunnenstein in 1984, and destroying the historical statue of the Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen in Berne in 1986.
In 1994, the Mouvement autonomiste jurassien (MAJ) was formed from a fusion of the Rassemblement jurassien (RJ) and the Unité jurassienne (UJ) groups. Another separatist group is Mouvement Indépendantiste Jurassien (MIJ), formed in 1990.
Due to the remaining separatist faction in Moutier
Moutier
Moutier is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura .-History:...
, another poll was held in 1998, but the disctrict again decided to remain Bernese. But in 2006, the autonomist parties gained a majority in the regional elections. In the same year, a Conseil du Jura bernois was formed, the only example of a regional parliament in Switzerland.
A new suggestion was published in 2007 by the Assemblée InterJurassienne (AIJ), to the effect that two "half-cantons" should be formed from the existing canton of Jura and the Bernese Jura.
See also
- Rauracian RepublicRauracian RepublicThe Rauracian Republic was a state that included parts of modern France and Switzerland around the Jura mountains. It was created from the northern portion of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire....
- Alemannic separatismAlemannic separatismAlemannic Separatism is a historical movement of separatism of the Alemannic German speaking areas of Germany, France and Austria , aiming at a unification with the Swiss Confederacy . The historic origins of the movement lay in the Napoleonic era Alemannic Separatism is a historical movement of...
- Modern history of SwitzerlandModern history of SwitzerlandThis article deals with the history of Switzerland since 1848.See Early Modern Switzerland for the Early Modern period, Switzerland in the Napoleonic era for the period of 1798-1814, and Restoration and Regeneration for the period of 1815-1848....
- History of the canton of Berne