A self-declared King of Switzerland has sparked outrage among politicians after exploiting a legal loophole to seize 117,000 square miles of land for free. Jonas Lauwiner, 31, has built what he describes as an 'empire' by claiming 148 ownerless plots of land scattered across Switzerland, including roads now used by homeowners.
Legal Loophole Exploited
The haul, acquired entirely legally, includes 83 stretches of road, giving him significant leverage over local communities and prompting several Swiss cantons to move to tighten rules amid fears others could copy him. Under Swiss law, land officially registered as ownerless can be claimed free of charge simply by writing to the local council. Such plots are rare and often consist of abandoned roads, small forest areas or land rejected during inheritance disputes.
Lauwiner, who crowned himself 'King' when he was just 24, realised the obscure rule could be turned into a property business after painstakingly combing through land registries. One road he acquired on a housing estate had reportedly been abandoned by a developer. He now charges maintenance fees to residents who use it.
Lauwiner's Perspective
He told Times Radio: 'I am fair. I don't shut the roads, and I do not charge much for them.' As well as maintenance fees, he said he profits 'by selling the right to construct near my road, and I sell the right of passage if there is a new house'. Lauwiner compared his acquisitions to a 'military campaign', adding: 'I do it digitally and without bloodshed'.
Outrage from Officials
His activities have infuriated local officials, with some accusing him of abusing the system for personal gain. Josef Schuler branded Lauwiner's conduct 'scandalous' during a dispute over one of the roads. Schuler claimed Lauwiner offered to transfer the road to the council for free only if it was renamed after him. Otherwise, he allegedly demanded around £140,700 for the road. The councillor accused him of having 'an excessive thirst for power and an exacerbated need to put himself forward'.
Lawyer Loris Fabrizio Mainardi also launched legal action against Lauwiner, accusing him of 'abusive exploitation', although the lawsuit was later dismissed. The growing controversy has prompted several Swiss cantons, including Bern, to move towards granting councils first refusal on abandoned land in a bid to prevent further private acquisitions.
The 'King' Defends His Actions
Lauwiner insists he has done nothing wrong and says critics are missing the point. 'It's more than just a joke. I have created something new,' he said. Although widely described as a self-proclaimed monarch, Lauwiner argues the title was first invented by the media. 'I was proclaimed by the German media,' he said. 'They said I was the King of Switzerland. I said, "this is smart".'
Lauwiner fully embraces the image, posing in military-style royal uniforms and running what he describes as the 'official website of the King of Switzerland'. His organisation also includes an Order of Merit, an 'imperial bank', and decommissioned military vehicles, including an old amphibious tank displayed outside a building he refers to as his 'palace' in Burgdorf.
Despite the theatrics, Lauwiner insists he has no intention of undermining the Swiss state. 'I know I am a symbolic king,' he said. 'I am not the real sovereign of Switzerland.' But he added that constitutional monarchies were 'not that bad', provided 'the sovereign is wise and has experience of the world'.
