46-546: Saas-Almagell is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland . Saas-Almagell is first mentioned in 1291 as Armenzello . In 1307 it was mentioned as Almenkel . The settlement, at the upper end of the Saastal , was relatively isolated for much of its history. A road suitable for motor vehicles was completed in 1948, whilst the village did not have its own school until 1958. The local economy
92-676: A Fachhochschule ). Of the 27 who completed tertiary schooling, 88.9% were Swiss men, 11.1% were Swiss women. During the 2010–2011 school year there were a total of 25 students in the Saas-Almagell school system. The education system in the Canton of Valais allows young children to attend one year of non-obligatory Kindergarten . During that school year, there were no kindergarten classes (KG1 or KG2) and there were no kindergarten students. The canton's school system requires students to attend six years of primary school . In Saas-Almagell there were
138-471: A certain time in Switzerland are also allowed to participate in municipal politics. As at the cantonal and federal level, citizens enjoy political rights, including direct democratic ones, in their municipality. Municipalities are financed through direct taxes (such as income tax ), with rates varying more or less within a framework set by the canton (see Taxation in Switzerland ). As among the cantons, there
184-531: A few dozen people ( Kammersrohr , Bister ), and their territory between 0.32 km² ( Rivaz ) and 439 km² ( Scuol ). The beginnings of the modern municipality system date back to the Helvetic Republic . Under the Old Swiss Confederacy , citizenship was granted by each town and village to only residents. These citizens enjoyed access to community property and in some cases additional protection under
230-436: A grocery store, bank, and souvenir shops, as well as tourist accommodations. It has a youth hostel and sports center. As of 2010, Saas-Almagell had an unemployment rate of 3.8%. As of 2008, there were 18 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 5 businesses involved in this sector. 43 people were employed in the secondary sector and there were 4 businesses in this sector. 164 people were employed in
276-480: A total of 2 classes and 25 students in the primary school. The secondary school program consists of three lower, obligatory years of schooling (orientation classes), followed by three to five years of optional, advanced schools. All the lower and upper secondary students from Saas-Almagell attend their school in a neighboring municipality. As of 2000, there were 30 students in Saas-Almagell who came from another municipality, while 20 residents attended schools outside
322-418: A total of 258 votes were cast, of which 14 or about 5.4% were invalid. The voter participation was 91.8%, which is much more than the cantonal average of 54.67%. In the 2007 Swiss Council of States election a total of 199 votes were cast, of which 2 or about 1.0% were invalid. The voter participation was 71.1%, which is much more than the cantonal average of 59.88%. Saas-Almagell has a small town square with
368-483: Is a net exporter of workers, with about 1.7 workers leaving the municipality for every one entering. Of the working population, 9.1% used public transportation to get to work, and 39.4% used a private car. From the 2000 census, 370 or 93.2% were Roman Catholic , while 11 or 2.8% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church . Of the rest of the population, there were 6 members of an Orthodox church (or about 1.51% of
414-449: Is a tax transfer among the municipalities to balance various levels of tax income. Switzerland has a relatively high number of small municipalities, with a population of 1,000 or less, especially in rural areas. Because of the increasing difficulty in providing professional government services and in finding volunteers for political offices in small municipalities, the cantons tend to encourage voluntary mergers of municipalities. This led to
460-619: Is the southernmost municipality in the Saas valley. It consists of the village of Saas-Almagell, part of the hamlet of Unter den Bodmen and the hamlets of zum Moos, Alpien and Furggstalden. Saas Almagell lies in the Pennine Alps and the territory of the municipality encompasses a large number of summits. The highest are the Rimpfischhorn , Strahlhorn , Allalinhorn and Weissmies (all over 4,000 metres above sea level). Other important summits are
506-684: The Bürgergemeinde /bourgeoisie. During the Mediation era (1803–1814), and especially during the Restoration era (1814–1830), many of the gains toward uniform citizenship were lost. Many political municipalities were abolished and limits were placed on the exercise of political rights for everyone except the members of the Bürgergemeinde . In the Regeneration era (1830–1848), the liberal revolutions of
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#1732885080073552-495: The Bürgergemeinde in the population was reduced as a result of increasing emigration to the cities. This led to the Bürgergemeinde losing its former importance to a large extent. However, the Bürgergemeinde has remained, and it includes all individuals who are citizens of the Bürgergemeinde , usually by having inherited the Bürgerrecht (citizenship), regardless of where they were born or where they may currently live. Instead of
598-610: The Christian Democratic Party ( French : Parti démocrate-chrétien , PDC), Democratic People's Party ( Italian : Partito Popolare Democratico , PPD) and Swiss Christian Democratic Party ( Romansh : Partida cristiandemocratica Svizra , PCD), was a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland . On 1 January 2021, it merged with the Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland (BDP/PBD) to form The Centre , which now operates at
644-483: The Portjengrat , Sonnighorn , Stellihorn , Egginer , Jazzihorn , Almagellhorn and Spechhorn . The Mattmarksee is the largest lake in the valley. The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Argent a Wyvern displayed Gules, on a chief of the second a Cross couped of the first. Saas-Almagell has a population (as of December 2020) of 364. As of 2008, 7.7% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over
690-632: The place of birth , Swiss legal documents, e.g. passports, contain the Bürgerort (place of citizenship, or place of origin ). The Bürgergemeinde also often holds and administers the common property in the village for the members of the community. Each canton determines the powers and responsibilities of its municipalities. These may include providing local government services such as education, medical and social services, public transportation, and tax collection. The degree of centralization varies from one canton to another. The federal constitution protects
736-467: The political spectrum , advocating Christian democracy , the social market economy and moderate social conservatism . The party was strongest in Catholic rural areas, particularly Central Switzerland and Valais . The Catholic-Conservative Party of Switzerland ( German : Katholisch-Konservative Partei der Schweiz ) was founded in 1912. From 1919 on, the party occupied two out of the seven seats in
782-453: The tertiary sector , with 28 businesses in this sector. There were 175 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 34.3% of the workforce. In 2008 the total number of full-time equivalent jobs was 184. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 9, all of which were in agriculture. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 40 of which 33 (82.5%) were in construction. The number of jobs in
828-515: The 1950s, having three members of the Federal Council (1954–1958) before agreeing to the magic formula . It adopted its current name in 1970. From 1979 to 2003 , the party's vote declined, mostly in the favour of the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC); the party was reduced to one Federal Councillor at the 2003 Federal Council election . The party sat in the centre to centre-right of
874-579: The 1990s, conservative voters from former strongholds of the CVP switched to vote for the right-wing populist Swiss People's Party . From the 1995 election to the 2019 election , the CVP's vote share decreased from 16.8% to 11.4%. After the 2003 election , Ruth Metzler of the CVP, was replaced by Christoph Blocher of the Swiss People's Party on the Federal Council , leaving the CVP with only one seat in
920-476: The CVP uphold rather centrist policies, stands in contrast to the traditional role of the CVP as the leading party in rather Catholic -dominated cantons of central Switzerland and the cantons of Valais . There, the electorate was mostly socially conservative . The CVP had three main policies in the political centre : Following continuing losses in the federal parliamentary elections until 2003, in December 2003,
966-618: The Center" ( German : Die Mitte , CVP; French : Le Centre , PDC; Italian : il Centro , PPD; Romansh : il Center ) which is the name of the parliamentary group that the CVP shares with the other center-right parties, the Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland and the Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland . The merger was ratified by a vote of the entire party in November 2020. Cantonal parties were not required to adopt
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#17328850800731012-508: The Conservative-Christian-Social People's Party ( German : Konservativ-Christlichsoziale Volkspartei ) and to its current name in 1970. In the ensuing decades, the Catholic voter base dissolved somewhat. The reduction of the voter base, in addition to less cohesion among politicians in the party, led to six successive losses in federal elections after 1980. The party lost its support over a number of years. Beginning in
1058-582: The Swiss Federal Council (executive body). In 2005, it held 20.7% of the seats in the Swiss Cantonal governments and 16.7% in the Swiss Cantonal parliaments (index "BADAC", weighted with the population and number of seats). At the last legislative national elections , 22 October 2007, the party won 14.6% of the popular vote and 31 out of 200 seats in the National Council lower house. This
1104-474: The administration and profit from the property were totally held by the Bürgergemeinden , leaving the political municipality dependent on the Bürgergemeinde for money and use of the property. It was not until the political municipality acquired rights over property that served the public (such as schools, fire stations, etc.) and taxes, that they obtained full independence. For example, in the city of Bern, it
1150-403: The autonomy of municipalities within the framework set out by cantonal law. Municipalities are generally governed by an executive council headed by a president or mayor . Legislative authority is exercised by a town meeting of all citizens, or by a municipal parliament, depending on the size of the municipality, and on cantonal and municipal law. In some cantons, foreigners who have lived for
1196-445: The cabinet. Aided by the political climate of the postwar period, the party experienced its peak in the 1950s: It was represented by the biggest parliamentary delegation in the Federal Council , and from 1954 to 1958 the party occupied three out of seven seats in the cabinet. Nonetheless, the party had to relinquish the third seat in favor of the ' magic formula ', which was introduced to the cabinet in 1959. In 1957 it changed its name to
1242-501: The common people helped to restore some rights again in a few cantons. In other cantons, the Bürgergemeinden were able to maintain power as political communities. In the city of Zürich it was not until the Municipal Act of 1866 that the political municipality came back into existence. The relationship between the political municipality and the Bürgergemeinde was often dominated by the latter's ownership of community property. Often
1288-541: The construction rate of new housing units was 16 new units per 1000 residents. The vacancy rate for the municipality, in 2010, was 0.69%. The historical population is given in the following chart: It is the starting point for the small independent ski area of Fugglstalden-Heidbodme which is also part of the combined Saasquistal ski region, albeit connected to the other parts of the region by postal boat, rather than dedicated skilifts. As well as downhill skiing and snowboarding pistes, it has uphill skiing and sledging trails. It
1334-585: The country's executive. CVP President Gerhard Pfister and BDP President Martin Landolt , the leader of the Conservative Democratic Party, had ongoing discussions about a merger throughout 2020. In 2020, Pfister announced that the national CVP would undergo a change in branding with a new name and logo as part of a merger with the BDP. The party proposed to change the name to "The Center" or "The Alliance of
1380-612: The federal level. The Christian Democratic People's Party will continue to exist at the cantonal level as individual local and regional parties determine their status. Its 28 seats in the National Council and 13 seats in the Council of States were transferred to the new party, as was its sole seat on the Federal Council , held by Viola Amherd . The party was founded as the Catholic Conservative Party in 1912. It peaked in
1426-407: The last 10 years (2000–2010 ) the population has changed at a rate of -9%. It has changed at a rate of 0% due to migration and at a rate of -4.1% due to births and deaths. Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks German (384 or 96.7%) as their first language, Serbo-Croatian is the second most common (4 or 1.0%) and Italian is the third (3 or 0.8%). There is 1 person who speaks French . Of
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1472-460: The law. Additionally, the urban towns and the rural villages had differing rights and laws. The creation of a uniform Swiss citizenship, which applied equally for citizens of the old towns and their tenants and servants, led to conflict. The wealthier villagers and urban citizens held rights to forests, common land and other municipal property which they did not want to share with the "new citizens", who were generally poor. The compromise solution, which
1518-462: The municipalities under cantonal or federal law. Municipalities are numbered by the Swiss Federal Office for Statistics (see Community Identification Number#Switzerland ). One or more postal codes (PLZ/NPA) can by assigned to a municipality or shared with other municipalities. Between 2011 and 2021 nine of the smallest municipalities merged into others as part of the effort to eliminate
1564-748: The municipality. Municipalities of Switzerland Municipalities ( German : Gemeinden , Einwohnergemeinden or politische Gemeinden ; French : communes ; Italian : comuni ; Romansh : vischnancas ) are the lowest level of administrative division in Switzerland. Each municipality is part of one of the Swiss cantons , which form the Swiss Confederation . In most cantons, municipalities are also part of districts or other sub-cantonal administrative divisions. There are 2,131 municipalities as of January 2024 . Their populations range between several hundred thousand ( Zürich ), and
1610-515: The municipality. There were 206 married individuals, 25 widows or widowers and 2 individuals who are divorced. As of 2000, there were 143 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.7 persons per household. There were 31 households that consist of only one person and 19 households with five or more people. In 2000, a total of 139 apartments (50.4% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 110 apartments (39.9%) were seasonally occupied and 27 apartments (9.8%) were empty. As of 2009,
1656-475: The new name if they do not wish to do so. Pfister estimated that a new center-right party could obtain up to 20% of the vote in future elections. In its party platform , the CVP described itself as a centrist party. The CVP fostered a social market economy in which a balance is struck between economic liberalism and social justice . The expansion of the party in the Protestant -dominated cantons, in which
1702-436: The number of municipalities dropping by 384 between the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2019. Some municipalities designate themselves as "city" ( ville or Stadt ) or as "village" ( Dorf ). These designations result from tradition or local preference – for example, several small municipalities designated as cities held city rights in medieval times – and normally do not impact the legal or political rights or obligations of
1748-626: The party lost one of its two seats in the four-party coalition government, the Swiss Federal Council , to the Swiss People's Party . The CVP holds roughly 12% of the popular vote. After the national election in late 2003, it held 28 seats (out of 200) in the Swiss National Council (first chamber of the Swiss parliament); 15 (out of 46) in the Council of States (second chamber, and the largest party in this chamber) and 1 out of 7 seats in
1794-523: The population in the municipality, 276 or about 69.5% were born in Saas-Almagell and lived there in 2000. There were 71 or 17.9% who were born in the same canton, while 19 or 4.8% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 22 or 5.5% were born outside of Switzerland. As of 2000, children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 25.7% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 56.9% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 17.4%. As of 2000, there were 164 people who were single and never married in
1840-431: The population). There was 1 individual who was Islamic . 3 (or about 0.76% of the population) belonged to no church, are agnostic or atheist , and 6 individuals (or about 1.51% of the population) did not answer the question. In Saas-Almagell about 153 or (38.5%) of the population have completed non-mandatory upper secondary education , and 27 or (6.8%) have completed additional higher education (either university or
1886-535: The smallest communities. Only Bister has not merged into a new municipality although the smallest municipality is now Kammersrohr with a population of just 32. In addition to the municipalities as basic territorial political subdivisions, a number of other local subdivisions exist in several cantons. These include: Christian Democratic People%27s Party of Switzerland The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland ( German : Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz , CVP), also called
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1932-433: The tertiary sector was 135. In the tertiary sector; 3 or 2.2% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 15 or 11.1% were in the movement and storage of goods, 103 or 76.3% were in a hotel or restaurant, 2 or 1.5% were technical professionals or scientists, 12 or 8.9% were in education. In 2000, there were 43 workers who commuted into the municipality and 73 workers who commuted away. The municipality
1978-559: Was boosted in the 1960s by the construction of the Mattmark Dam . Saas-Almagell has an area, as of 2011, of 110.3 square kilometers (42.6 sq mi). Of this area, 7.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 4.1% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.5% is settled (buildings or roads) and 87.9% is unproductive land. The municipality is located in the Visp district and is located approximately 5 km (3.1 mi) from Saas-Fee . It
2024-480: Was not until after the property division of 1852 that the political municipality had the right to levy taxes. It was not until the Federal Constitution of 1874 that all Swiss citizens were granted equal political rights on local and Federal levels. This revised constitution finally removed all the political voting and electoral body rights from the Bürgergemeinde . In the cities, the percentage of members in
2070-647: Was the early home of the famous Swiss skier Pirmin Zurbriggen . In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the CVP which received 62.57% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the FDP (17.7%), the SVP (16.18%) and the SP (3.47%). In the federal election, a total of 199 votes were cast, and the voter turnout was 70.8%. In the 2009 Conseil d'État/Staatsrat election
2116-481: Was written into the municipal laws of the Helvetic Republic, is still valid today. Two politically separate but often geographically similar organizations were created. The first, the so-called municipality, was a political community formed by election and its voting body consists of all resident citizens. However, the community land and property remained with the former local citizens who were gathered together into
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