Reuss
The Reuss is the river that characterises Central Switzerland. It flows from the Gotthard region in the canton of Uri to the north. Its water finally ends up in the North Sea. For a long time, its wild course in the region of origin was an obstacle to transport over the Gotthard Pass in the Alps. The crossing of the Reuss by a spectacular bridge in the gorge of “Schöllenen” inspired a legend that attributed its construction to a pact with the devil. The Reuss Delta, the nature reserve where the Reuss flows into Lake Lucerne, is also fascinating. The point where the Reuss leaves Lake Lucerne in Lucerne and flows northwards under the Chapel Bridge is world-famous. After the Reuss has absorbed the waters of the Kleine Emme, it flows towards Zug, Zurich and Aargau, where it partly forms the border between the cantons. The area near Brugg, where first the Reuss (after around 160 km) and a little later the Limmat flow into the Aare, is known as the “moated castle of Switzerland”. Although some efforts have been made to renaturalise the Reuss, much of the river’s natural beauty has been destroyed by human intervention, agriculture and the production of energy.
Rechtsperson Reuss Association
We want to implement legal personality and fundamental rights for non human nature. The association “Rechtsperson Reuss” aims to improve the situation, initially in the canton of Lucerne, by giving the river Reuss and all other public waters in the canton, both legal personality and constitutional rights. On 26th April 2025 we launched with other organisations the Reuss-Initiative.
Even if some organisations are trying to put a stop to the destruction of the water landscapes and reverse “crimes” against the waters, the association is convinced that the Reuss and all other waters need their own legal personality in order to be able to defend their natural existence in their own name. The target shall be reached in the first step by a popular initiative on the level of the canton Luzern/Switzerland. With the Reuss-Initiative the following paragraphs shall be implemented in the constitution of Luzern:
Section 10 (3) (new)
The fundamental rights and legal personality of non-human nature are guaranteed in accordance with the cantonal constitution.
Section 10bis Fundamental rights and legal personality of water bodies (new)
1 The public water bodies of the canton are endowed with fundamental rights in accordance with paragraph 2 and legal personality.
2 Water bodies have the right to exist and to ecological integrity.
3 The law regulates the practical implementation. It shall be designed in such a way as to ensure the effective and independent assertion and enforcement of the rights granted.
