Citizens' meeting; participation

The citizens' assembly serves to inform the citizens of the municipality, to discuss municipal matters and to adopt recommendations for the municipal council.

The mayor is obliged to convene a town hall meeting at least once a year, or more frequently at the request of the municipal council, to discuss municipal affairs. Furthermore, a town hall meeting must be held within three months if requested in writing by at least 5% of the municipality’s residents (or at least 2.5% in municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants), specifying the agenda. Corresponding application procedures apply in municipal districts which were still independent municipalities when the Municipal Code came into force (18 January 1952) and, in cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, also in the city districts. The agenda may only include municipal matters. A request to convene a town hall meeting may only be made once a year.

The town hall meeting is chaired by the mayor or a representative appointed by him. As a general rule, only residents of the municipality may be given the floor; however, the town hall meeting may decide on exceptions to this rule.

Recommendations from citizens' meetings must be dealt with by the municipal council within three months.