Parliamentary groups keep a low profile after hearings with Pult and Jans
Published: Tuesday, Dec 5th 2023, 19:30
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The two official SP candidates for Berset's successor in the Federal Council appeared before four parliamentary groups on Tuesday. But whether Beat Jans from Basel or Jon Pult from Graubünden has the better chances in the general election on December 13 remained open.
Following their hearings with Pult and Jans, the FDP parliamentary group, the Green Liberals, the Greens and the SVP announced that no decision had yet been made or said nothing at all about the performance of the two candidates.
The SVP parliamentary group questioned Jans and Pult on the "core issues of Switzerland's sovereignty vis-à-vis the EU, uncontrolled immigration and national growth - compliance with the debt brake". It then merely announced that the parliamentary group would discuss the candidacies again next week.
FDP parliamentary group president Damien Cottier also said that his group would discuss the candidates again next week. The parliamentary group has not made a decision.
In addition to Pult and Jans, the GLP parliamentary group also listened to Gerhard Andrey, the Greens' candidate for the Federal Council. After the hearings, it simply stated that it had questioned the candidates in particular about the need for action on climate protection and the further development of relations with the EU.
The Greens rated the two SP candidates as very good, said Vaud National Councillor Léonore Porchet to the media. The two candidates had presented themselves with great seriousness, Porchet said. Porchet evaded questions about a Green favorite.
SVP wants to elect two SP Federal Councillors
On Wednesday, however, it became even clearer that the members of the Federal Council who are standing for re-election on December 13 can probably expect to be re-elected - and that the party-political composition of the state government is likely to remain as it is.
The SVP parliamentary group announced that it recognizes the concordance in the sense that the three parties with the most votes should be represented with two seats in the Federal Council. It will re-elect the incumbent members of the Federal Council.
FDP parliamentary group leader Cottier also said that his group would vote for an SP candidate on the official ticket, provided that the concordance is respected. For Cottier, this also means that the three parties with the most votes should have two seats in the Federal Council. Six of the seven incumbent members of the Federal Council will take part in the general elections to the national government in mid-December.
"Long and intensive day"
Jans and Pult did not reveal their cards after the first hearings. It had been a long and intensive day, said Basel's President of the Government Jans on Tuesday evening in the Federal Palace: "But I don't know what to tell you. I can't talk about the meeting." Pult also said that it was impossible for him to take stock.
The two SP candidates will not be heard by the Center Group until next week. Andrey will also be allowed to appear before the SP parliamentary group next week. On Monday, the two SP candidates were allowed or required to appear before the conference of farmers' parliamentarians.
The President of the Swiss Farmers' Association, Markus Ritter (center/SG), said after the hearing that the conference had not yet decided whether it preferred Jans or Pult as Berset's successor.
Everything open, even in the chancellor election
Decisions on supporting candidates to succeed Federal Chancellor Walter Thurnherr have also not yet been made. The SP parliamentary group has heard Nathalie Goumaz and Gabriel Lüchinger from the SVP as well as the GLP candidate and Vice-Chancellor Viktor Rossi.
Next week, it also wants to hear the independent Lukas Gresch, as co-faction leader Samuel Bendahan told the Keystone-SDA news agency on request. Only after this discussion will the SP parliamentary group make a decision. Gresch's candidacy only became known last weekend.
The Center Party, on the other hand, does not want to invite Gresch, as they wrote. It too has not yet made any decisions on the election of a new Federal Chancellor. On Wednesday, it heard Goumaz and Lüchinger from the SVP. The GLP candidate and Vice-Chancellor Viktor Rossi will follow next week.
©Keystone/SDA
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