SVP gets new president next year
Published: Thursday, Dec 28th 2023, 15:31
العودة إلى البث المباشر
Following the announcement of the departure of SVP President Marco Chiesa, there is already speculation about a possible successor. Several SVP exponents have expressed interest in the position of party leader.
The Schwyz National Councillor Marcel Dettling is considered one of the favorites. Dettling is SVP Vice President and was campaign manager in the last elections.
Céline Amaudruz, a member of the Geneva National Council, told the Keystone-SDA news agency that he was a possible successor. And Thurgau National Councillor Manuel Strupler also told Keystone-SDA that Dettling was his favorite. "With his unifying and motivating manner, his political flair and his down-to-earth attitude, I think he would be a stroke of luck for the SVP," said Strupler. For him, as a father of three and entrepreneur, it is probably not the right time for the office.
Dettling told "Blick" that he was interested and would consider running. In contrast to four years ago, when he declined to run for the office, he can now better assess what it entails. The 42-year-old is a farmer.
Geneva National Councillor and SVP Vice-President Céline Amaudruz could also be a candidate. She had not yet thought about it, she told Keystone-SDA. The 44-year-old has worked as an asset manager at several major banks such as UBS and would be the best-known candidate from French-speaking Switzerland.
Submissions by January 19
The 31-year-old St. Gallen National Councillor Mike Egger and the 46-year-old Bernese National Councillor Lars Guggisberg also showed interest in the presidency. However, they are probably less well connected within the party.
Lucerne National Councillor Franz Grüter has not ruled out a candidacy for the time being. "If I were approached, I would give it some thought. But it's a tough job," Grüter told Keystone-SDA. National Councillors Gregor Rutz, Jean-Luc Addor and Benjamin Fischer, on the other hand, as well as Councillor of States Werner Salzmann, announced on request that they would not be available for the post.
The SVP search committee has already begun its work, as the party announced. It will be headed by former National Councillor and parliamentary group president Caspar Baader. Possible candidates can be reported to the commission until January 19. The delegates will then elect Chiesa's replacement at their meeting on March 23.
Short term as President
Chiesa was elected party president in 2020. On Thursday, it became public that he will not be standing for re-election at the end of his regular term of office in March 2024. He is therefore stepping down after just over three and a half years at the helm of the country's largest party.
"I had a job to do. And it has been fulfilled," Chiesa explained his departure in an interview with the CH Media newspapers. "The aim of my time in office was to win the elections and strengthen the politics and values of the SVP." He had succeeded in this.
Under Chiesa's aegis, the right-wing SVP once again became the strongest party in the national elections in October. It gained nine seats in the National Council and achieved the third-best result in its history. Its success was particularly strong in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino. However, the SVP lost one seat in the Council of States.
SVP regrets departure
The SVP accepted the departure of President Marco Chiesa "with great regret", as stated in the party's communiqué. It thanked the President for his "great services" over the past four years.
Chiesa's strong presence among the party base has helped the SVP a great deal, especially in French-speaking Switzerland. The party was able to gain four seats there in the October elections. In Ticino, it gained one seat. Chiesa was the first SVP president from Ticino and Latin Switzerland.
©كيستون/إسدا
Arabic 
English 
German 
French 
Spanish