The Bernese Jura

General and geographical data

The term the Bernese Jura indicates the current French-speaking area of the Canton of Bern, in Suisse. This one is located at the north of the canton, at the border with the cantons of Neuchâtel, of the the Jura and Soleure. Composed of the three entirely French-speaking Bernese districts:

The the Bernese Jura extends to the south until the Lac from Bienne, in the Zeeland. The commune of Scheulte (German: Schelten) is the commune located more at north of the Canton of Bern. The commune of Monible is the smallest commune of the whole of the Bernese territory.

The border Septentrional E of the Bernese Jura was determined by the constitutional procedure implemented by the Canton of Bern to solve the Jurassic Question. Before 1979 and the creation of the canton of the Jura, the term indicated the whole of the French-speaking areas of the canton of Bern, included the districts of Delémont, Porrentruy and of the Frank-Mountains.

Policy

Linguistically speaking, the term “the Bernese Jura” is recognized through Switzerland and the Canton of Bern

The Grand the Council Bernese (cantonal Parliament) is composed, since the cantonal elections of April 9th, 2006, of 160 members, including 12 seats guaranteed to the Bernese Jura and 3 seats for the French-speaking people of the bilingual district of Bienne. The Bernese Jura and the French-speaking population of the bilingual district of Bienne have a particular status aiming at promoting the French-speaking culture of these areas like reinforcing their political participation in the Canton of Bern.

The executive power of the Canton of Bern is held by the Council-executive, equivalent of the Council of State. It is composed of 7 members (advisers of State) elected officials by the majority vote by the electorate, whose seat is guaranteed to the Bernese Jura.

The political parties of the areas are the Socialist party of the Bernese Jura (PSJB, anti-separatist) and the Autonomous Socialist party of the South of the Jura (PSA-SJ, separatist), the Radical party of the Bernese Jura (PRJB, anti-separatist) and the Jurassic Liberal party (PLJ, separatist), the Democratic Union of the Center of the Bernese Jura (UDC, anti-separatist), the Party Evangélique Populaire of the Bernese Jura (PEV, neutral), the Party Christian-Democrat of the Southern Jura (PDC-JS, separatist), the Federal Democratic Union of the Bernese Jura (UDF, anti-separatist), the Party of the Greens of the Bernese Jura (neutral). With the Great Bernese Council, the separatists obtained in 2002 three seats out of 200, two seats for the PSA-SJ and a seat for the Jurassic Agreement gathering the PDC-JS and the PLJ. Since the election of 2006,4 separatists sit at Bern, 3 PSA-SJ and a Jurassic Agreement. The separatists form a parliamentary group thanks to the only Germanic deputy PDC who joined them in order to answer the rule of 5 members of Parliament to form a parliamentary group.

The citizens and citizens of the districts of Courtelary, Moutier and Neuveville elected for the first time the Conseil of the Bernese Jura (CJB) the April 9th 2006 by the vote for all and proportional. The 24 mandates are distributed in the following way: 11 for the district of Moutier, 10 for that of Courtelary and 3 for that of Neuveville. This election rises from the Law on the particular status, LStP. This regional Parliament within a cantonal entity will be able to rule on cantonal subsidies with the cultural activities of the area, will represent the French-speaking people in French institutions such as the Conference intercantonale of the state education of the French-speaking Switzerland and Tessin (CIIP SR+TI) and will be entitled to treat directly with the Jurassic Government if they are businesses concerning of the institutions common to the cantons of Bern and of the Jura. He also collaborates with the Conseil of the French-speaking businesses of the bilingual district of Bienne

At the time of the elections to the Council-executive of the canton of Bern of the April 9th 2006, the separatist Maxime Zuber obtains the majority of the votes in the Bernese Jura. The French-speaking candidate of the Bernese Socialists (PSJB), Philippe Perrenoud, as for him is elected with the Council-executive since it obtains the majority of the votes for a French-speaking candidate in the remainder of the canton.

Since the elections of 2006, the Separatists are a political clout more important than in 2002 for the area. They are present at the Grand the Council and the Council of the Jura Bernese but absent from the cantonal executive. The parties anti-separatists remain the principal political clouts of the area since they remain majority in the political bodies, by gathering as for them 8 of the 12 seats guaranteed to the French-speaking people of the Bernese Jura to the Large Council and are represented so much with the Council of the Bernese Jura than to the executive of the canton.

It should however be stressed that the Jurassic question is not any more great topicality within the population and of the political bodies. The spirits were calmed since the creation of the Canton of the Jura. Let us recall for example that the parties separatists did not make countryside for the Jurassic question at the time of the last cantonal elections.

LStP also offers the possibility “of regional initiative” which allows the launching of a popular initiative whose subject must be related on the identity or the linguistic or cultural specificity of the Bernese Jura. The initiative will be able to require constitutional revisions except for the request for total revision of the cantonal Constitution and the fastening of the Bernese Jura to the Canton of the Jura.

In February 2007, the InterJurassienne Parliament (AIJ) launches the idea of two demicantons, one composed by the canton of the Jura and the other composed of the current Bernese Jura while continuing the study of a unification.

Demography

The Canton of Bern is bilingual, including approximately 8,2% of French-speaking people and 84% the German-speaking ones. The population of the the Bernese Jura is of 51 ' 405 people (2004) to which is added approximately 25 ' 000 Bernese French-speaking people of the bilingual district of Bienne and of the neighborhoods. Those are Protestant with 67% and catholic-Romans at 16%.

Economy

The the Bernese Jura is the center of the precision tool industry European and world, several companies work in this area. Among those, one finds known names like Longines, Precimed, Swissmetal Boillat SA or Tornos. The Horlogerie is also a very developed and well established branch.

Monuments

Castle of Erguël

Energy

The the Bernese Jura is a Swiss pioneer as regards renewable energy.

the wind power station located at Mount-Crosin, in the District of Courtelary, is the only one of this kind in Suisse.
a solar power station of 500 kw was built on the Mount-Sun

Gastronomy

the prestigious guide gastronomical of world famous Gault-Millau counts four restaurants of the the Bernese Jura , a proof that the regional gastronomy is of quality and recognized beyond the borders:

Restoring Hôtel of the Stag to Sonceboz-Sombeval obtains 16 points out of 20 in the guide 2005
Restaurant the Cricket with Meadow-in Orvin obtains 14 points out of 20 in the guide 2005
Restaurant Vertbois with Mount-Crosin obtains 13 points out of 20 in the guide 2005
Restaurant Of the Star to Perrefitte obtains 13 points out of 20 in the guide 2005

the cheese Tête of Monk (AOC since 2001) is a cheese with believed milk produces with the abbey of Bellelay to Saicourt, in the District of Moutier. Exported throughout the world, it is a calling card of the cheese-making tradition of the Bernese Jura.

Media

Schools

High School Arc Engineering, seat with Saint-Imier
interregional Center of Training of Tramelan (CIP)
School Prévôtoise de Moutier
School of the diploma degree of Moutier (EDD)
artisanal professional Center and industrialist of the Bernese Jura (CPAI-JB)

Vocational school and artisanal of Moutier (EPAM)
Technical school Baptist Savoye de Saint-Imier (LTSI)
Vocational school of Saint-Imier (EPSI)

commercial professional Center of the Bernese Jura (CPC-JB)
National college of business of Neuveville
National college of business of Saint-Imier
Training center of the Professions health in French language of the canton of Bern (CEFOPS)
Music school of the Bernese Jura (EMJB)

Events and culture

the Living room of industries of automation, microtechnic and subcontracting (SIAMS) is held every two years with Moutier; the last edition took place from May 9th to 13rd 2006.
the Open Mount-Sun Air Festival
Open Knockout Air Festival
Stand' Festival be
the European Academy of song , of international repute, has its seat with Court, it makes it possible professional lyric singers to improve at the time of training courses in lyric art.
Tramlabulle , festival of the cartoon of Tramelan
the Fair of Chaindon
the Big Boss' Festival, a Christian festival of music which proceeds each year with Tavannes.

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