The Geneva City Council have passed a motion demanding the media group Tamedia reverse a decision to sack nearly 300 workers and close two printing works.
Tamedia owns the Tribune de Genève.
Councillors are worried about the reduction of different opinions.
One member, Joelle Bertossa, told the chamber ‘After the silence of the press, usually comes the sounds of boots and cannons.’
But others question what can be done. Tamedia is a private company that pays its shareholders dividends.
Others wonder if the paper should be owned by a non-profit foundation.
The company is based in Zurich and has said the Tribune de Genève is a transitional brand and sees the future in the daily paper, 24heures.