March 2012

Success of the Second Home Initiative and Handover to Vera Weber

In 2006, Franz Weber launched the federal popular initiative against the excessive construction of second homes, in order to force the communes by law to limit their second homes to 20 per cent of construction volume.

The acceptance of the Second Home Initiative by the Swiss people in the majority of cantons, six years after its launch, constitutes thus far the biggest political success of Fondation Franz Weber in Switzerland.

The ingeniously managed campaign by Vera Weber and her likeable appearances all over the media, convinced the majority of the Swiss population. This victory signifies her taking over and continuing her father’s life’s work.

Since 2014, Vera Weber has managed Fondation Franz Weber and Helvetia Nostra in her own style, but perfectly in line with her father’s spirit. Thus, in view of his 90th birthday, she told Schweizer Illustrierte (a Swiss national magazine, for which Franz Weber wrote numerous articles during his years as a journalist): “I am responsible for ensuring that Franz Weber is not forgotten. He is a part of Swiss history.”

Photo: After the success of the Second Home Initiative, Judith and Franz Weber handed over the management of Fondation Franz Weber and Helvetia Nostra to their daughter.