Soubey
Description
Soubey is a free city initiative in Switzerland based on a citizens' cooperative model.
Discussion
Overview
The intention behind the initiative is to incentivise people who value local self-governance to become a voting member in the existing village of Soubey, increasing local autonomy through Switzerland's subsidiary political system.
Soubey is about a one hour drive from both Basel and Bern. As at February 2026 the village is home to approximately 120 residents. There is a lot of vacant land and underutilized infrastructure.
Soubey's model
The citizens' cooperative is established through contract without breaking any provincial or national laws. This allows consent-based arrangements to manage construction, primary education, policing, local taxes and more — a private law approach to community governance.
No violent revolution or any secession is needed for Soubey's success. It's legal frameworks operate in accordance with national laws. No special arrangements, such as a special economic zone, need to be agreed upon with the federal government.