Hundreds of people applauded on Sunday as Puigdemont made his entrance accompanied by François Lachat, canton Jura’s first president and a leading figure in the canton.
Speaking at the “People’s Festival” in Delémont, Puigdemont thanked the gathering for “solidarity with Catalonia” and praised Swiss democracy, which he said “gives a voice to citizens”.
Puigdemont is currently living in exile in Belgium. He fled Spain in late 2017 to escape prosecution on charges of rebellion after Catalonian separatists launched a referendum in defiance of the Spanish government and then declared independence.
Puigdemont is the guest of the Jura Independentist Movement (MAJExternal link – link in French) which organizes the “People’s Festival”. Activists this year used the occasion to slam the attitude of canton Bern on Moutier, the small Swiss town that last year voted narrowly to secede from Bern and join canton Jura.
Appeals are still pending over allegations of fraud in the Moutier vote and separatists accuse Bern of trying to hinder secession. “Moutier will join Jura sooner or later,” chanted activists at the 71st “People’s Festival”.
The MAJ draws members from across political parties in canton Jura and has several thousand members and supporters, according to its website. It says it is fighting for “the independence of Jura across the whole if its historical territory”.
Related Stories
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
Most Swiss Abroad won’t be able to vote online in 2027 federal election
This content was published on
The wage gap between married mothers and fathers in Switzerland is significantly worse than that between single woman and men.
This content was published on
The new "Swiss Football Home" football campus is being built in Thun. The centre, based on an international model, will include pitches for the senior national teams and the headquarters of the Swiss Football Association.
Report identifies gaps in Swiss anti-racism and anti-Semitism measures
This content was published on
Among other things, there are gaps in criminal and civil law protection against racism on the internet, a report published on Tuesday suggests.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Justice minister calls for ‘crisis summit’ on disputed Moutier vote
This content was published on
Swiss Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga has called for the governments of Bern and Jura to 'analyse' the dispute over a 2017 secession vote.
Geneva authorities distance themselves from Puigdemont visit
This content was published on
The head of Geneva’s cantonal government has distanced himself from the visit of ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont.
Puidgemont says Swiss model may offer alternative to independence
This content was published on
Independence is not the only solution for solving the ongoing crisis between Catalonia and Spain, according to Carles Puigdemont.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.