National Council gives the army more money and personnel less
Published: Tuesday, Dec 3rd 2024, 15:20
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Half a billion francs more for the army, but less funding for federal personnel than the Federal Council wanted: the National Council tackled the three-day budget debate on Tuesday and made its first important decisions.
So far, the conservative majority of the SVP, FDP and Center Party has prevailed. They are arguing for a faster increase in the army, the defense of the debt brake and for cutbacks in international cooperation and federal personnel. The left-green minority and the GLP do not want to accept this.
"Come to your senses"
The different priorities emerged clearly in the debate between the parliamentary groups on the 2025 budget. "We need to come to our senses and take responsibility," said Lars Guggisberg (SVP/BE). His group wanted less growth in expenditure.
The FDP called for new priorities. In order to strengthen security, other areas would have to suffer, said spokesperson Alex Farinelli (TI). New expenditure must be consistently financed, demanded Pius Kaufmann (center/LU). While members of the middle classes supported the proposals of the Finance Committee (FK-N), there was resistance from the red-green party.
The SP, Greens and GLP called the FK-N version of the budget unacceptable or unbalanced. If the majority of their minority motions also fail in the further course of the debate, they are likely to reject the 2025 budget in the overall vote. They are particularly concerned about the planned cuts to foreign aid.
"Mantra of the debt brake"
"This financial policy pursued by the majority is anything but serious," said SP co-chair of the parliamentary group Cédric Wermuth (AG). He spoke of a "frontal attack on social achievements". At the same time, the army is being "over-equipped". Sarah Wyss (SP/BS) noted a "mantra of the debt brake".
The first decisions have already been made: Next year, the army will have CHF 530 million more available for armaments investments than initially planned. This means that the army will be able to spend CHF 2.7 billion on armaments in 2025. CHF 200 million of this is earmarked for the longer-range ground-based air defense system (Bodluv).
The aim of the National Council is for military expenditure to reach one percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030. The Grand Chamber made corresponding increases in the financial plan years 2026 to 2028.
In the eyes of the minority, the army is only one of many pillars for strengthening security. "International cooperation and peacebuilding are just as crucial," said Corina Gredig (GLP/ZH). The National Council has not yet decided on the funds for international cooperation.
Reduction in personnel expenses
The National Council has also already approved the CHF 70 million cut in federal personnel across the entire administration. It also trimmed the budgets for material and operational services and external consulting.
It did so against the wishes of the Federal Council as well as the SP and the Greens. With the cuts in personnel costs, material and operating expenses and consultancy fees, the National Council wants to relieve the budget by a total of CHF 125 million.
Jürg Grossen (GLP/BE) said that private companies could not keep up with the salaries of administrative staff. The federal government was awarding too many and too expensive external contracts. Reto Nause (Center/BE) also supported the majority's proposals, stating that the cuts would merely slow down the growth in expenditure.
Relief package anticipated
Tamara Funiciello (SP/BE) warned in vain that staff would have to accept the fourth round of cuts. Irène Kälin (Greens/AG) wanted targeted cuts instead of "politically cowardly across-the-board cuts" that could cause a lot of damage.
Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter did not want the cuts either. If the councils cut CHF 70 million from personnel expenditure in 2025, they would be pre-empting the relief package, she said. The Federal Council would take the cut into account there.
Discussion of the budget in the National Council is expected to continue until next Thursday. The Council of States will then deal with the budget, financial planning and supplementary credits.
©Keystone/SDA
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