What is the Beloved Foundation and why was it created?

The Beloved Foundation was created on the initiative of the Canton of Valais to support the victims of the tragedy that occurred on New Year's Eve at the "Le Constellation" bar in Crans-Montana. The entity is chaired by Doris Leuthard, former federal councillor, and manages 24 million francs: 10 million from the Valais Canton, 7 million from the Vaud Canton and 1 million from the Municipality of Crans-Montana. The Foundation supports 41 victims of the tragedy.

Why have there been resignations of members in the Foundation?

Swiss, French and Italian representatives have resigned in recent weeks. Christian Cardon, director of the executive office, attributes the resignation to the strong pressure within the organisation. The members in charge of distributing the money have had to face massive demands since the creation of the entity. Cardon also acknowledges that board members may have been poorly chosen at first, with insufficient skills for the role.

How is the Foundation's aid prioritised?

The aid is intended primarily for people who have not yet received compensation, in particular those suffering from severe psychological trauma. Many victims were not taken care of by hospitals after the tragedy and need specific support. The Foundation is directing resources towards these people as a top priority, although the official amounts of the payments have not yet been specified.

What skills will the Foundation bring to the new members?

Cardon said he was looking for new profiles better able to understand the needs of families, in particular on aspects related to psychological trauma. The Foundation will seek members with backgrounds in clinical psychology, social assistance, humanitarian aid law and foundation management, abandoning a purely "political" composition.

Why are families concerned about transparency?

The families of the victims are surprised by the Foundation's lack of transparency regarding the recent resignation. Given that this is 24 million public francs from three different entities (Valais, Vaud, Crans-Montana), taxpayers have the right to understand the reasons for the resignation and how this will affect the distribution of aid.

Cascading resignation to the Beloved Foundation (cross-border guide)

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 22 August 2026

Meeting room in a Swiss government building representing governance and public administration

The Foundation that manages 24 million francs for the victims of Crans-Montana is facing a governance crisis. Resignations of Swiss, French and Italian members raise questions about the transparency of aid distribution.

Context

In a nutshell

Cascading resignation of Swiss, French and Italian members to the Beloved Foundation
The Foundation manages CHF 24 million for the 41 victims of the Crans-Montana tragedy
First payment already made, but the tense internal climate worries about the distribution of aid

Key facts

What: Governance crisis and resignation cascade
When: Last weeks
Where: Beloved Foundation (Crans-Montana, Valais and Vaud cantons)
Who: Doris Leuthard (President, former Federal Councillor), Christian Cardon (Executive Office Director)
Total funds: CHF 24 million (10 million Canton of Valais, 7 million Canton of Vaud, 1 million Municipality of Crans-Montana)
Beneficiaries: 41 victims of the tragedy

The Beloved Foundation is going through a turbulent phase just as it enters the operational phase. Swiss, French and Italian representatives have resigned in recent weeks, according to RTS. The governance of the entity, created on the initiative of the Canton of Valais to support the victims of the tragedy at the "Le Constellation" bar, shows structural cracks that raise doubts about the ability to manage the 24 million francs available.

Resignation and internal pressure

Sources close to the Foundation report a heavy and unconstructive climate within the organisation. Doris Leuthard, former federal councillor and current president, leads a body that was created very quickly to provide an answer

Operational details

The rapid creation of the Foundation, although necessary to respond to the humanitarian emergency, has resulted in an imperfect selection of members. Christian Cardon explicitly acknowledges that the members of the Foundation's Board were perhaps poorly chosen in the beginning. This admission is significant, because it highlights a structural problem: when you quickly build an entity that has to manage significant public funds, the specific skills required for the role can be neglected.

The issue of transparency

The families of the victims are surprised by the Foundation's lack of transparency regarding the recent resignation. This concern is not trivial: it is 24 million public francs (10 million from the Valais Canton, 7 from the Vaud Canton, 1 from the Municipality of Crans-Montana) from three different entities. Taxpayers in these cantons have the right to understand why representatives in charge of distributing these funds have decided to resign and what the consequences will be on the distribution of aid.

Cardon downplays some criticisms, ensuring that the payments have still been made and that decisions proceed according to an order of priority. However, the fact remains that the resignation comes just as the Foundation enters the operational phase and has greater public visibility. This timing amplifies the suspicion that internal problems emerged during the implementation of the

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Key points

Cardon sees in the current resignation the opportunity to seek new profiles more capable of understanding the needs of families, in particular on aspects related to psychological trauma. This represents a change of strategy: no longer a cross-cutting “political” composition of the board, but a composition based on specific competencies relevant to the case.

New Governance Addresses

The Foundation will likely seek members with backgrounds in clinical psychology, social care, humanitarian aid law, and foundation management. In addition, more attention will need to be paid to communication and transparency towards beneficiaries and funding cantons. Cardon's acknowledgment of the initial mistakes suggests that the Foundation is aware that it needs to change course and adopt more robust and accountable governance towards victims and public funders.

Aid Priorities

According to Cardon, the aid is directed primarily to people who have not yet received compensation, particularly those suffering from severe psychological trauma and people not taken care of by hospitals after the tragedy. This order of priority is reasonable from a humanitarian point of view, but requires clear communication to families and cantons about the mechanism for selecting beneficiaries. Without transparency at this stage, suspicion of favouritism or malpractice could

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Beloved Foundation and why was it created?: The Beloved Foundation was created on the initiative of the Canton of Valais to support the victims of the tragedy that occurred on New Year's Eve at the "Le Constellation" bar in Crans-Montana. The entity is chaired by Doris Leuthard, former federal councillor, and manages 24 million francs: 10 million from the Valais Canton, 7 million from the Vaud Canton and 1 million from the Municipality of Crans-Montana. The Foundation supports 41 victims of the tragedy.
Why have there been resignations of members in the Foundation?: Swiss, French and Italian representatives have resigned in recent weeks. Christian Cardon, director of the executive office, attributes the resignation to the strong pressure within the organisation. The members in charge of distributing the money have had to face massive demands since the creation of the entity. Cardon also acknowledges that board members may have been poorly chosen at first, with insufficient skills for the role.
How is the Foundation's aid prioritised?: The aid is intended primarily for people who have not yet received compensation, in particular those suffering from severe psychological trauma. Many victims were not taken care of by hospitals after the tragedy and need specific support. The Foundation is directing resources towards these people as a top priority, although the official amounts of the payments have not yet been specified.
What skills will the Foundation bring to the new members?: Cardon said he was looking for new profiles better able to understand the needs of families, in particular on aspects related to psychological trauma. The Foundation will seek members with backgrounds in clinical psychology, social assistance, humanitarian aid law and foundation management, abandoning a purely "political" composition.
Why are families concerned about transparency?: The families of the victims are surprised by the Foundation's lack of transparency regarding the recent resignation. Given that this is 24 million public francs from three different entities (Valais, Vaud, Crans-Montana), taxpayers have the right to understand the reasons for the resignation and how this will affect the distribution of aid.