Spring 2026 was packed with elections in the Franco-Vaud-Geneva region! Local elections in the Canton of Vaud, local elections in France followed by indirect elections in the Metropolitan Area, a cantonal by-election in Geneva…
What impact might they have on the functioning of “Greater Geneva” in particular? This is also an opportunity to take a closer look at the complex institutional structure that makes up this metropolitan area.
Change or continuity in political leadership?
In the Canton of Geneva, Green Party member Nicolas Walder has succeeded another Green Party member, Antonio Hodgers, who resigned, as head of the Department of Spatial Planning. He has retained nearly the same scope of responsibilities, with the exception of energy, which has been transferred to the Department of Economic Affairs. It is worth noting that, in the wake of this, he was appointed—as was his predecessor—President of the “Greater Geneva” Urban Community (GLCT). He is a committed pro-European.
At the strictly local level, the Vaud elections did little to upset the balance of power within the Nyon district, where moderates or municipal coalitions predominated—except in Nyon itself, where, however, the April 26 mayoral election was won by a right-wing candidate (Olivier Riesen). In neighboring France, aside from the replacement of certain individuals, the political balance—predominantly center to center-right—remained largely unchanged. The only notable development was the defeat of the Socialist list intended to succeed Annemasse Mayor Christian Dupessey—who was not running for reelection—in favor of a list led by the former Mayor of Saint-Cergues and President of the Annemasse Urban Community, Gabriel Doublet, who is considered slightly more right-leaning, although there are few differences between them.
The local institutional complexity characterizes “Greater Geneva”
In Switzerland, the cantons enjoy a high degree of autonomy in organizing the cities and municipalities within their territory. It is therefore no surprise that there are differences between Geneva and the district of Nyon. The head of the municipal executive in the canton of Vaud (Syndic) is elected—like the French mayor—for the entire term of office (5 years), whereas the mayor of Geneva changes every year, with another member of the executive board taking over, except in very small municipalities. The collegial executive (Administrative Council) consists of 3 members, and 5 in the City of Geneva. A liaison body between the 45 local authorities and the Canton is the Association of Geneva Municipalities (ACG), whose current president is the Administrative Councilor of Vernier (population 38,000), Martin Staub. In the Canton of Vaud, the executive body is called the Municipality and comprises between 3 and 9 members, with the number decided by the municipal assembly (Nyon has 7, as does Lausanne). The mayors, who, as in France (but not as in Geneva), hold significant powers, are directly elected. Based on the elections held on April 26 (first round) and May 17 (second round), the executive body of the Nyon region (which has two representatives within “Greater Geneva”) will be renewed at the end of June… but there is very little suspense, and Frédéric Mani (Mayor of Dully) is expected to retain the presidency.
The Importance of Intermunicipal Cooperation on the French Side
In France, there are four types of intermunicipal bodies with their own taxing authority. Two of them play a central role in the “Greater Geneva” metropolitan area.
Urban communities (or “Agglomerations,” or “Agglos”) are contiguous intermunicipal bodies comprising at least 50,000 residents and including one or more municipalities with more than 15,000 residents. The Pays de Gex, with its 27 municipalities and 105,000 residents, has been organized in this manner since 2019, as has the Annemasse–Les Voirons Urban Area (95,000 residents). The six other intermunicipal bodies in the French Genevois region are communities of municipalities. And these eight intermunicipal bodies are grouped together in what has been known since 2017 as the “French Genevois Metropolitan Pole.”
The “community councilors” were directly elected in March 2026 from the lists of municipal councilors, who then elected the President and Vice Presidents who make up the executive branch of the intermunicipal associations. This election took place during their first meeting in April 2026.
The Metropolitan Area’s assembly is curiously called the “Trade Union Committee.” Its members are not representatives from the CGT or FO, but rather 48 elected representatives from the eight member intermunicipal communities, selected in proportion to their respective populations, with a minimum of two delegates per community. At their inaugural meeting, they elect the President, the Vice-Presidents, and the Executive Board, which form the executive body of the Metropolitan Pole.
The representatives to the “Union Committee” were appointed in early May, and the election of the executive board took place on May 22: by a unanimous vote (he was the only candidate), Gabriel Doublet succeeded his predecessor at Annemasse City Hall in the key position of President of the French Genevois Metropolitan Area.
Will the elections have an impact on the management of “Greater Geneva”? Probably not much…
To paraphrase Alain Delon’s famous line in Visconti’s *The Leopard*: “Everything must change so that nothing changes.” That’s the overall impression…
As we know, there are no direct elections for the governing bodies of Greater Geneva. Consequently, the impact of elections at the grassroots level—which, incidentally, do not often lead to major upheavals in our region—is significantly dampened by the time it reaches thesecond orthird level .
Thus, while personnel may change gradually, continuity is the hallmark of the “Greater Geneva” initiative, which relies on patient adjustments rather than sweeping decisions. Add to this the very important role played by the administrations on both sides in the implementation and monitoring of these often highly technical projects, which sometimes (as with major mobility investments) involve long-term planning. Certainly, the arrival of new leaders may slightly speed things up or slow them down, but it is unlikely to transform them dramatically.
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Founded in Geneva in 1996 in association with the Council of Europe, FEDRE has always focused on cross-border regions. In 2023, it formed a partnership with Crédit Agricole next bank to study the border effect in the regions surrounding Switzerland. Here are the issues published: 1. Food aid; 2. Challenges in the healthcare sector; 3. Water; 4. Culture; 5. Unemployment benefits for cross-border workers; 6. The idea of a cross-border resident card; 7. Sustainable mobility in cross-border urban areas; 8. European aspects of cross-border cooperation; 9. Diversity of tax systems for cross-border workers; 10. Switzerland’s specific approach to counting the unemployed; 11. Sustainable transportation planning in border metropolitan areas; 12. The contribution of culture to a shared identity; 13. The growing importance of cross-border phenomena; 14. The role of sports in cross-border relations; 15. Democracy in cross-border regions; 16. Cross-border forest resources; 17. Cross-border worker associations; 18. The future of mobility in cross-border areas; 19. “Greater Geneva”; 20. Agriculture in the Franco-Geneva region; 21. Challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution; 22. Comparing the experiences of Basel and Geneva; 23. Cross-border tourism developments around Lake Geneva; 24. Democratic pact at the cross-border level; 25. Putting people at the heart of “Greater Geneva”; 26. The “Greater Geneva” Urban Forum.