Switzerland

Meylan affair: Dittli demands report removal, Vaud State Council refuses

Herz — Switzerland Desk · 7 August 2026 at 11:36 · 30s summary · 4 min read

The essentials

On August 7, 2026, Valérie Dittli, a state councillor from Vaud (The Center party), held a press conference presenting a legal opinion on her right to be heard during the Meylan report publication process. Two professors from Geneva and Zurich universities concluded her right was 'gravely violated' because she had insufficient time to review the report before publication. Dittli requested removal of the report from the Vaud State website and exclusion from documents sent to the Public Prosecutor's Office. However, the Vaud State Council refused her request minutes later, arguing she had opportunities to express herself and the legal opinion doesn't reflect current jurisprudence.

Dittli presents legal opinion citing serious violation of her right to be heard
She demands removal of Meylan report from Vaud State website
State Council refuses her request minutes after press conference
Liberal-Radical Party criticizes gap between her peaceful rhetoric and actions
Center Vaud sets August 11 deadline for her candidacy decision

What we know

According to Le Temps, Valérie Dittli, a state councillor from Vaud (The Center party), held a press conference on the morning of August 7, 2026. She presented a legal opinion commissioned from two law professors at the Universities of Geneva and Zurich. This opinion examines whether her right to be heard was respected during the process of publishing the Meylan report.

The two professors concluded that her right to be heard was 'gravely violated during the establishment, publication and use of the Meylan report and its transmission to the Public Prosecutor's Office.' They noted that she had very little time to review the report and its annexes before their publication.

gravely violated during the establishment, publication and use of the Meylan report and its transmission to the Public Prosecutor's Office
— Legal opinion commissioned by Valérie Dittli from professors at the Universities of Geneva and Zurich

Dittli had submitted this legal opinion to the State Council on July 24, 2026. It cost her approximately CHF 10,000, paid from her own pocket. On this basis, she requested the removal of the Meylan report from the Vaud State website and its exclusion from documents sent to the Public Prosecutor's Office.

Immediate State Council refusal

Minutes after the press conference ended, the Vaud State Council announced it would not act on the request. It argued that Dittli had been able to express herself at various stages in the report's development, including through a personal statement released to the media on April 28, 2026.

The cantonal government judged that the legal opinion 'does not reflect the current state of jurisprudence.' It clarified that since none of its decisions had affected Dittli's legal situation, she could not invoke the right to be heard in the strict legal sense under current jurisprudence.

does not reflect the current state of jurisprudence
— Vaud State Council, August 7, 2026

The Meylan Report

The report by former cantonal judge Jean-François Meylan was published in April 2026. It confirmed that Dittli had reached a secret agreement with Jean-Claude Mathey, then president of Rural Land Commission I, to have him withdraw a criminal complaint filed against her.

The report triggered a series of consequences. In June 2026, the Vaud Public Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal investigation. The Vaud Grand Council had also called for Dittli's resignation. Several reports had also highlighted malfunctions in her department and significant tensions within the State Council.