Leuenberger: Simonazzi often helped the Federal Council reach consensus
Published: Sunday, May 12th 2024, 16:21
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Former Federal Councillor Moritz Leuenberger has paid tribute to the late Vice-Chancellor, Federal Council spokesman and SP party colleague André Simonazzi in an obituary as a shaper of the government's work. Simonazzi often helped the Federal Council reach consensus and thus helped shape its work.
The SP Federal Councillor, who was in office from 1995 to 2010, wrote in an obituary published on the Journal21.ch portal on Sunday that the 55-year-old, who died on a hike on Friday, exemplified the conviction that communication means unity. The Federal Council spokesperson always had to point out to the college when dissent was lurking in a supposed agreement.
"He anticipated public reactions and understood when a decision could not be communicated because it could not be explained." Simonazzi thus helped shape the work of the Federal Council before he was able to communicate the result to the media, parliament and the electorate for discussion.
Simonazzi had vehemently defended himself against indiscretions. Leuenberger wrote that he had "suffered physically" as a result. Simonazzi had often interrupted a member of the Federal Council in good time when they were about to make an awkward comment. Or he was able to correct them afterwards.
Leuenberger also paid tribute to Simonazzi's sense of humor. The irony gave him the necessary distance from his work. "Despite his influence, he never became arrogant or know-it-all." From time to time, Simonazzi did an excellent imitation of his former boss from Zurich. According to his own account, he only found out about it from the obituaries. "I regret that I never had to listen to it."
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