Basel civic party runs two candidates for the by-election
Published: Friday, Dec 22nd 2023, 13:30
Updated At: Friday, Dec 22nd 2023, 13:31
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Following the election of Beat Jans to the Federal Council, the Basel conservatives are contesting the SP's seat in government and the presidency of the government. They are entering the race to replace Luca Urgese (FDP) and the incumbent member of the cantonal government Conradin Cramer (LDP).
Education Director Cramer, who has been in office since 2017, is running for the presidency of the government on March 3, while Urgese is running for the vacant seat in the government. They are supported by the SVP. The FDP, LDP, Center and SVP parties announced this to the media on Friday.
The 37-year-old Urgese has been a member of the Grand Council since the end of 2014 and was President of the Basel FDP until the beginning of 2021. He wants to put himself at the service of all people and brings a well-filled backpack with many years of political experience to the office, said the Head of Finance and Taxes at the Basel Chamber of Commerce. After Baschi Dürr was voted out of office in the fall of 2020, the Free Democrats are no longer represented in the seven-member government council.
Left divided, bourgeois united
Cramer wants to follow in Jans' footsteps and take over the presidential department. Over the past seven years, he has "increasingly realized" that the presidency of the government is more than just shaking hands and making fine speeches, said Cramer about his candidacy. "This is hard and important work". He also likes culture, which is an important prerequisite for the department.
The by-election on March 3 promises to be exciting. While the conservatives are now united in the election campaign, the left is divided. The SP is fighting for Jans' seat with former National Councillor Mustafa Atici, while the Greens are attacking with Grand Councillor Jérôme Thiriet.
Urgese said that experience had shown that the chances would not increase if they did not stand together in the elections.
"It only helps if we work together," said Pascal Messerli, President of the cantonal SVP. The aim is to continue this cooperation in the general elections on October 20, 2024. In the last elections in fall 2020, this kind of alliance failed. The LDP, FDP and Center did not want to join forces with the Basel SVP due to the Swiss SVP's limitation initiative.
The members of the FDP, LDP and Mitte will decide on the nominations at their party meetings by mid-January. The SVP Executive Committee has already given the final green light for the two candidates.
©Keystone/SDA
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