A postulate calls for the canton of Lucerne to relinquish the right to fill certain positions within the Catholic Church. The cantonal government rejects the complete renunciation, but is prepared to relinquish certain voting rights.  

Due to the so-called ‘papal prerogatives’, the Lucerne Government Council has the authority to fill certain positions within the Catholic Church of Lucerne. These rights go back to an agreement between the canton and the Holy See from 1926.  

By 2023, the canton had already reduced the electoral rights to four. These remaining four were electoral rights relating to the collegiate abbeys of St Michel in Beromünster, St Leodegar in Lucerne, the Jesuit church in Lucerne and the monastery of St Urban. The reason for retaining these voting rights in particular was the great cultural and historical significance of these institutions for the canton.

The postulate by Cantonal Councillor Rahel Estermann of the Lucerne Green Party then called for the complete renunciation of papal prerogatives in 2024. It was no longer in keeping with the times for the canton to interfere so heavily in the affairs of the church. It was also inconclusive why the canton should retain four electoral rights when it had renounced the remaining ones. And finally, the election is merely an administrative act, as the cantonal council simply accepts the person proposed by the diocese of Basel.

The cantonal government is still of the opinion that the canton has an interest in being able to fill certain positions within the church - this could prevent ‘critical appointments’, among other things. This is particularly important for positions financed by the canton or those that attract a great deal of public attention. And this is also why the canton wants to retain the voting rights for the appointment of the heads of the collegiate foundations and the prefects of the Jesuit Church.

With the exception of these two electoral rights, however, the Lucerne cantonal government will from now on relinquish its papal prerogatives.