Sion 2026 Facing Another Referendum

(ATR) This week’s Swiss Parliament motion calling for a national referendum on the Sion 2026 bid could actually help the project’s cause.

Christian Bitschnau, the vice-mayor of Sion and a member of the bid team, tells Around the Rings that the move is "infuriating people who are more likely to vote yes" in the already scheduled referendum in Sion’s home canton of Valais on June 10.

The Nationalrat (National Council), the lower chamber of the Swiss parliament, on Tuesday narrowly approved the proposal calling for a nationwide vote on whether to spend $1 billion for an Olympic Games. The motion was put forward by Silva Semadeni, a representative from the canton of Graubunden.

Semadeni has already torpedoed two Olympic bids for 2022 and 2026 in Graubunden, which includes St. Moritz.

Bitschnau believes the latest effort is in response to a growing sentiment in favor of the Sion bid in Valais.

"The fact that the feeling, the sentiment of the people is turning positive makes that the only way for those people that are strong opponents to the IOC to kill our project," he says. "Because on the battlefield they’re losing."

It must still pass the Ständerat (State Council), the upper chamber of the Swiss parliament. Bitschnau believes it is "highly unlikely" the measure will get through because the proposal amounts to a financial referendum, which is not a part of the Swiss system.

To be safe, though, Bitschnau believes Sion 2026 organizers need to push for a definitive win in the June 10 referendum in Valais.

"The best way for us to make sure the Ständerat will vote in favor of the project is to get the highest possible result from the people of Valais. If we win by a very narrow margin like 51 or 52 percent, some senators will think should we or should we not. If we get 65 or 70 percent of the favorable vote, then they will have no other political choice than going along with us so we can proceed with the bid."

Should the voters in Valais say "yes" and the Ständerat vote "no" then Bitschnau says there would be no further obstacles for the Sion 2026 bid to move forward.

Bitschnau admits that should either vote go the other way, the Sion 2026 project would be dead.

Written and reported by Gerard Farek

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