A cross-party committee comprising politicians from the Swiss People's Party (SVP), Federal Democratic Union (EDU), and Green Liberal Party (GLP) has launched a referendum against the cantonal planning credit for the renovation and replacement construction of the Bern Art Museum. The committee, calling itself "No to the Million-Franc Luxury Project Eiger," argues that the 147-million-franc project exceeds all reasonable limits and represents an unnecessary burden on taxpayers.

The committee strongly criticized the recently approved planning credit of 15.7 million francs by the cantonal parliament, arguing that it places an disproportionate financial burden on the canton. According to their statement released on Wednesday, the canton would bear nearly the entire cost of the planning phase and would already be responsible for 81 million francs of the total 147-million-franc project. The opponents expressed concerns about the lack of planning security and questioned whether the total costs could actually be maintained, warning of a potential "bottomless pit" scenario.

The committee particularly criticized the role of the City of Bern in the project financing structure. While the canton serves as the main financier, the host municipality of Bern does not contribute to the construction costs. Instead, the city only provides a building that would require 19 million francs in renovation. The committee argued this arrangement is unfair and places an excessive burden on cantonal taxpayers while the city benefits from the improved cultural infrastructure without significant financial contribution.

Furthermore, the opposition group called for integrated planning between the Art Museum and the Paul Klee Center (ZPK) to leverage synergies and avoid duplication of efforts. They pointed out that the Paul Klee Center would also require investments of tens of millions of francs in the coming years, making coordinated planning essential for cost efficiency. The committee argued that in times of rising expenses for education and social services, it is untenable to direct tax money toward prestige buildings, emphasizing that art's impact comes from "spirit, openness, and experimental enthusiasm" rather than concrete and millions of dollars.

Jonathan Gimmel, President of the umbrella foundation Art Museum Bern - Paul Klee Center, strongly defended the project in response to the referendum announcement. He rejected claims that the planned undertaking is a luxury project, emphasizing that the museum's current condition is very poor and that renovation is urgent and undisputed. Gimmel assured that the museum would ensure the cost ceiling of 81 million francs approved by the Grand Council would not be exceeded, noting that the canton would bear 55 percent of the total costs.

Gimmel warned of serious consequences if the referendum were to succeed, stating that the museum could not begin planning its renovation and renewal without the cantonal support. He emphasized that the currently pledged private funds of 37 million francs would be withdrawn, forcing the canton to bear the entire cost of renovation and renewal alone. This would necessitate developing an entirely new project, potentially at greater expense and with significant delays.

The museum president highlighted that the current project results from a years-long process involving politics, business, and society, with broad support across all parties. He noted that regular constructive discussions had taken place with representatives of the current opposition committee. Gimmel expressed conviction that without renewal, the Art Museum would gradually lose significance, describing the collection as an important cultural treasure vital to the identity of the Canton of Bern.

The Bern cantonal parliament had approved the planning credit in its autumn session in September with 91 votes in favor, 44 against, and 16 abstentions. The comprehensive renovation and expansion project, known as the "Eiger" winning project, includes renovation of the Stettler building, construction of a replacement building for the Atelier-5 structure, and renovation of the building at Hodlerstrasse 6. The financing structure shows that private individuals, foundations, business sector, and the lottery fund will contribute 40 percent of the total costs, while the canton provides 81 million francs in regular state funds with a fixed cost ceiling to prevent overruns.