Swiss IT Programmer Legally Amasses Land and Road Access, Sparking Reform Push

Jonas Lavenir, a 31-year-old Swiss IT specialist of Moroccan origin, found a legal loophole in Swiss civil law that lets private individuals register as owners of land classified as ownerless. Under Article 658, the process requires only a land registry filing and a symbolic administrative fee of a few hundred Swiss francs.

What began as a legal experiment has turned into a sprawling property portfolio. Lavenir has acquired more than 150 plots across Switzerland, covering about 117,000 square meters. His holdings include forests, grazing land, and, most controversially, roads and access routes in residential neighborhoods.

The case that shocked the country happened in Gounsi, where residents on Rosenweg discovered one morning that the road leading to their homes now belonged to a private individual. Lavenir offered them three options, rename the street “Lavenir Road,” buy it back for between 80,000 and 150,000 francs, or pay him maintenance and passage fees. Authorities said he had not broken the law and that the transfer was fully valid.

Lavenir has embraced the nickname “King of Switzerland,” held his own coronation ceremony, and begun selling souvenir coins and titles. He also said he plans to leave his IT job and focus full time on managing his real estate business. The affair has triggered political outrage, and cantonal authorities are now moving to change the law so local governments get first refusal on ownerless land, preventing future takeovers of public infrastructure.