Politics · Switzerland · 12 hrs ago
Basel-Landschaft parliament rejects proposed BLKB executive pay cap
Basel-Landschaft’s parliament rejected a proposed pay cap for executives at the cantonal bank, BLKB.
The proposals followed a 105 million-franc write-down on the bank’s subsidiary Radicant.
The cap would have limited executive gross pay to twice the salary of a cantonal government member, or about 614,000 francs.
The vote was tied at 38 votes for and 38 against, with five abstentions, and the parliament president’s deciding vote rejected the cap.
The former BLKB chief executive received fixed pay of 650,000 francs in 2025, while he received 215,000 francs in variable pay in 2024.
Parliament also rejected a plan to choose the bank’s board itself instead of leaving that choice to the cantonal government.
Basel-Landschaft’s parliament rejected a proposed cap on pay for members of the BLKB executive.
The proposal would have limited gross pay to twice the gross salary of a cantonal government member, about 614,000 francs.
The vote was tied at 38 to 38, with five abstentions.
Parliament president Andreas Dürr used his casting vote to reject the cap.
A separate proposal to have parliament, rather than the cantonal government, elect the bank council was rejected by 61 to 19, with five abstentions.
- Who
- Basel-Landschaft’s parliament, the Landrat, voted on proposed changes affecting BLKB.
- What
- It rejected a proposed cap on BLKB executive pay.
- When
- Thursday, 22 October 2026.
- Where
- Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland.
- Why
- The proposals followed large write-downs on BLKB subsidiary Radicant.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
BLKB CEO John Häfelfinger received 215,000 francs in variable pay, in addition to his fixed compensation.
Häfelfinger received 650,000 francs in fixed compensation.
Proposals included a cap on BLKB executive pay and changing who elects the bank council.
The Landrat tied 38 to 38 on the pay cap; its president cast the deciding vote against it.
- Pay cap proposal
- Twice a cantonal government member’s gross salary, about 614,000 francs
- Pay-cap vote
- 38 for, 38 against, 5 abstentions
- Bank council election proposal
- Rejected 61 to 19, with 5 abstentions
- Radicant write-down
- 105 million francs
- John Häfelfinger’s 2025 fixed compensation
- 650,000 francs