⏱ 1 min 30 read
Background
In Soubey, a village of around 125 inhabitants on the banks of the Doubs in the canton of Jura, the project known as the “Soubey Initiative” is raising concerns. Its promoters are linked to the libertarian movement, which rejects state intervention. According to RFJ, the group has bought two buildings, including the village school. On 28 October 2026, members of the cantonal parliament questioned the Jura Government on the matter.
The key points
According to a Keystone-ATS dispatch of 14 November 2026, two German-speaking Swiss entrepreneurs are behind the project: Armin Häfliger, who lives in Soubey, and Zurich-based Marc-Felix Otto.
They want to create affordable housing to attract families, provide space for craft businesses and creative projects, and offer digital infrastructure for remote working. Faced with some residents’ concerns, they say they do not want to privatise the village. The cantonal authorities are monitoring the project and say they do not know the promoters’ “real intentions”.
Key figures
- 125 inhabitants : approximate population of Soubey
- Two buildings : properties bought by the group, including the former school, according to RFJ
Who says what
- Armin Häfliger and Marc-Felix Otto (promoters of the Soubey Initiative): they say they do not want to privatise the village.
- Rosalie Beuret Siess (President of the Jura Government): a legal analysis shows that the legal framework is robust; municipalities cannot change their organisation.
- Boris Beuret (The Centre) and Valérie Bourquin (SP), members of the cantonal parliament: they are asking the cantonal authorities for more than vigilance.
Further reading
Sources
- Le Nouvelliste (Keystone-ATS) – Two entrepreneurs want to turn this Jura village into a libertarian laboratory
- RFJ – Libertarian projects in Soubey under scrutiny
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