Green light with aid for Vaudois sport. The deputies supported the proposals of the Council of State to energize the cantonal sports policy, further strengthening certain elements such as the support for the organization of large -scale competitions.
Tuesday first debate, following discussions started two weeks ago, the Grand Council was called upon to decide on the counter-project of the Council of State on the initiative “for an ambitious Vaud sports policy”.
The government’s response to this text includes 36 measures to support sport at all levels (popular, school, elite, international). This represents around 36 million additional francs per year in the state budget.
In addition, there are two framework credits in total amount of 150 million francs to subsidize the construction and renovation of “regional importance” sports infrastructure for the period 2025-2030.
“New chapter”
The deputies reserved a good welcome for these different measures, welcoming “a new historical chapter” for Vaudois sport or the recognition of “its fundamental role” in terms of health and social cohesion.
However, the Grand Council wished to make some corrections to the counter-project, in particular to ensure investment in the long term for sports infrastructure. He thus decided to anchor in the law the obligation, for the Council of State, to present at least one framework credit by legislature.
Also from the work in committee, the other major amendment to the counter-project of the Council of State was more debated. It aims to support the organization in Vaud Terre of “large-scale” demonstrations (world or Europe championships for example), via two other framework credits of 80 million francs in total over the period 2026-2033.
Disproportionate
“If I am ready to get into matters for local or regional demonstrations, unlock such means for international demonstrations, often commercial and which arouse significant displacements by plane poses a problem,” said the deputy for the radical left, Hadrien Buclin. “In addition, unlocking money without specific project or parliamentary control is problematic,” he added.
A position that Sébastien Cala, president of the socialist group in the Grand Council and Vice-President of the Initiative Committee, does not share.
Green Pierre Zwahlen for its part estimated that it would be “unfortunate” that the canton took a “subscription to major demonstrations”. According to him, it is “false to give twice 40 million until 2033 to these demonstrations while the 2024 accounts went there, with a deficit of 370 million”.
“Not a white-only”
However, these arguments have hardly found any support for other deputies. Do not oppose the elite and popular sport sport, reacted Marc Vuilleumier, another deputy of the radical left and ex-Municipal Lausanne in charge of sports. “These are the petals of the same flower, they feed each other,” he said, recalling in passing that most of the sports federations established in the canton had “excessively modest means”.
“International sport has its place in current sports policy, it is one of the pieces of the puzzle,” added the State Councilor in charge of the file, Christelle Luisier. “International events are factors of social ties, cohesion, and economic and tourist benefits. The female euro is something great for the region and attracts girls in clubs in particular.”
The president of the government also recalled that if it was accepted, such framework credit would not be “interpreted as a blank check” by the Council of State. “We will be very attentive to the demonstration in question and the financial conditions of the State,” she said.
Large membership
In the vote, this amendment was supported by 101 votes for, 21 against and 18 abstentions.
A second debate, even a third, will still be necessary. Note that if the deputies confirm their votes on Tuesday, and therefore that they support the amended counter-project in committee, the bearers of the initiative,-namely the PLR and former judoka Sergei Aschwanden and the socialist and former jumper to skis Sébastien Cala-, have committed to withdraw their text.
Sophie Vassutine et KEYSTONE ATS