Bridge builder Amherd in the spotlight for a year
Published: Thursday, Nov 30th 2023, 09:40
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The first female defense minister in the history of Switzerland will be the sixth female president. Next year, Viola Amherd will have to prove that she can build bridges not only at home but also abroad. The centrist Federal Councillor will be in the spotlight more than ever.
Amherd's election to the Federal Council five years ago was glamorous. On December 5, 2018, she was elected with 148 votes in the first ballot - Heidi Z'graggen, then a member of the cantonal government of Uri and now a member of the Council of States, had no chance. Five days later, Amherd became the first woman to head the Ministry of Defense.
After 23 years of SVP dominance, she brought a breath of fresh air to the DDPS. She rejuvenated its leadership by appointing Thomas Süssli as Chief of the Armed Forces in 2020. And she set herself the goal of achieving a ten percent share of women in the army by 2030. Today, this proportion is just one percent.
Fire test passed
Even though it was not Amherd's department of choice, she has left her mark on various dossiers in recent years. After her predecessor Guy Parmelin failed at the ballot box in 2014 with the procurement of the Gripen fighter jet, Amherd managed to convince the electorate of the merits of new fighter jets. In September 2020, a wafer-thin majority voted in favor.
The dossier remained sensitive afterwards. The left put pressure on the procurement of 36 US F-35 fighter jets with a popular initiative. Amherd, who had taken office without any military experience, pulled the strings in the background - and finally got the purchase contract signed and sealed in the fall of 2022.
The defense minister faced criticism from opponents that the aircraft were too expensive, unsuitable for Switzerland and sensitive from a European policy perspective. She always based her arguments on the evaluation report, which described the Lockheed Martin jets as by far the most suitable - and was successful in doing so.
Cautious communicator
Amherd came increasingly into focus in spring 2022, when Russia launched a war of aggression against Ukraine. Civilians immediately called for an increase in the army budget. After several cuts in the past, Amherd was able to convince the entire Federal Council and Parliament to strengthen the army. Expenditure should increase to at least one percent of gross domestic product by 2035.
Amherd wisely did not go too far out on a limb in the charged neutrality debate. "Neutrality has an effect if it is supported at home and understood abroad," she said in an interview. The Federal Council, Parliament and the population should discuss whether neutrality still serves its purpose with regard to the war in Ukraine.
Amherd took a somewhat more offensive stance on the issue of closer Swiss ties with NATO. She said several times that the law of neutrality could also be upheld in the event of closer cooperation with the transatlantic defense alliance.
Internationale Kooperation forcieren
Amherd put her money where her mouth is in July 2023, when she announced that Switzerland would participate in the European air defense system "Sky Shield". Neutrality would not be jeopardized by this, she said. Each country could define the extent of its participation in the air shield itself.
The SVP and the Pro Switzerland organization sharply criticized the planned commitment to "Sky Shield". The people must have the last word on this. Amherd said that the decision-making authority lies with the Federal Council as a whole. This is not a decision that should be made by Parliament and ultimately the people.
The hosting of the Winter Olympics in Switzerland will probably no longer fall within Amherd's term of office. The sports minister has always been very open to such plans. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has Switzerland on its list of possible venues for 2038 at the earliest.
Resignations and non-appearances
Amherd has recently faced headwinds in particular due to personnel decisions. Ruag boss Brigitte Beck had to leave because she had publicly criticized the Federal Council's neutrality policy. The designated head of the newly created State Secretariat for Security Policy (Sepos) backed out even before taking office. The media reported that Jean-Daniel Ruch could be open to blackmail.
These minor affairs have not damaged Amherd's reputation as a Federal Councillor so far - at least not among the population. The 61-year-old from the Upper Valais enjoys high approval ratings in opinion polls and is sometimes referred to by journalists as the "mother of the country".
However, it was reported behind the scenes that the centrist party was not only happy that Amherd did not want to move to the important Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) following the surprise resignation of Simonetta Sommaruga at the end of 2022. Observers saw this move as an indication that Amherd could announce her resignation sooner rather than later after her presidential year in 2024.
Movement in the EU dossier?
As President of the Swiss Confederation, Amherd can show whether she can build bridges at international level. As a discreet politician and self-proclaimed "quiet doer", Amherd actually prefers to work behind the scenes. However, her election as President of the Swiss Confederation should definitely put an end to this.
One of the biggest challenges in the presidential year is - once again - relations between Switzerland and the EU. In addition, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are likely to continue to dominate the political agenda. The Federal Office for Cyber Security, which is now part of the DDPS, is unlikely to run out of work.
In addition to defense, Amherd will primarily pursue foreign policy. "It is important to me that we move forward with decisions that are important for our country. For example, our relationship with Europe," Amherd recently told the Tamedia newspapers. It remains to be seen whether she can translate her popularity among the population into diplomatic successes.
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