Starting position for Jans and Pult remains open after hearings
Published: Tuesday, Dec 12th 2023, 19:40
Back to Live Feed
After the final hearing of the two official SP candidates Beat Jans and Jon Pult on Tuesday evening, it remained unclear which of the two has the better cards for Wednesday's Federal Council elections. No parliamentary group has yet made an election recommendation for just one of the two candidates.
Following his parliamentary group's hearing with Pult and Jans on Tuesday evening, Center Party leader Philipp Matthias Bregy told the media that the Center Party supports both candidates. Party President Gerhard Pfister said that the parliamentary group considered it sufficient to say that both candidates were suitable. The members of the parliamentary group were free to make their own decision.
The same applies to the Green Liberals, as parliamentary group leader Corina Gredig also told the media on Tuesday evening. "The parliamentary group considers both candidates on the SP ticket to be eligible." Every parliamentary group member will be free to vote for either Pult or Jans.
The FDP parliamentary group has not yet made an election recommendation, nor has the SVP parliamentary group. On Tuesday evening, the FDP parliamentary group confirmed statements made last week: it wants to elect an official SP candidate for the Federal Council if the SP respects the concordance and elects the FDP candidates.
SVP against "party games"
The SVP parliamentary group wants to meet again on Wednesday morning. It will stick to the official ticket of the SP in the Federal Council elections if the Social Democrats also adhere to the concordance, it announced on Tuesday evening.
In view of the uncertain global situation, international conflicts and the looming economic crisis, "partisan games" and "knee-jerk exercises" are not appropriate. Stability means reliable framework conditions for companies and the population. The SVP parliamentary group wants to confirm all current members of the Federal Council in office - as does the centrist parliamentary group.
The SP parliamentary group does not want to reveal its cards until Wednesday morning. It already heard Gerhard Andrey, the Greens' candidate for the Federal Council, last week. The GLP parliamentary group announced on Tuesday that some of its members would probably support Andrey on Wednesday. This is for the confirmation vote for Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.
The Greens also held hearings with Pult and Jans last week. National Councillor Léonore Porchet (VD) only said afterwards that the parliamentary group considered both candidates to be very good.
Starting position also open for chancellor election
The starting position is also open for the election of the new Federal Chancellor to replace Walter Thurnherr (center), who will step down at the end of the year. This election will also take place on Wednesday - after the general election of the Federal Council.
The Center Group also held a hearing with Vice-Chancellor Viktor Rossi (GLP) on Tuesday, after hearing the SVP candidates Nathalie Goumaz and Gabriel Lüchinger last week.
It considers all three people to be suitable and does not make a recommendation for any one person. The centrist group did not invite the non-party candidate Lukas Gresch to the hearing.
The FDP parliamentary group is not making a vote recommendation for the election of the Federal Chancellor, as it announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday evening. The GLP is supporting its candidate Rossi. The members of the SVP parliamentary group are likely to vote for Goumaz or Lüchinger. The SP and the Greens have not yet made any recommendations.
Pfister does not expect a surprise
When asked about any secret plans of the parliamentary groups on the evening before the Federal Council elections, Center Party President Gerhard Pfister told the media: "We are all looking forward to a peaceful evening and night's sleep and a dignified Federal Council election tomorrow. My personal prediction is that the only thing that will increase tonight in Bellevue will be the noise and alcohol levels, but not much else."
The "Bellevue" is a posh Bernese hotel next to the Federal Palace. It is often said that many political maneuvers have been hatched at the Bellevue bar.
©Keystone/SDA
English 
German 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic