Center-President Pfister takes FDP Federal Councillors to task
Published: Saturday, Nov 11th 2023, 13:10
Updated At: Saturday, Nov 11th 2023, 13:13
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Center Party President Gerhard Pfister has warned the two FDP Federal Councillors against "ruthless power politics". If they both stood for re-election, they would have to distance themselves from the "block politics" of the right-wing camp in future.
Pfister made this clear to the delegates of the center in Thun BE on Saturday. The "right-wing pole" in the Federal Council would have even less legitimacy after the 2023 elections than before. The left-wing pole's claim to three seats in the national government would be just as presumptuous.
If it were up to the number of seats in the Federal Council, the FDP would no longer be allowed to put both Federal Councillors forward for re-election. However, his party would not vote out any members of the Federal Council "out of respect for the institutions".
It is therefore all the more important that Ignazio Cassis and Karin Keller-Sutter "take responsibility for the overall well-being of the entire population and do not exercise the simple power logic of a right-wing majority bloc together with the SVP representatives". Pfister received spontaneous applause from the delegates.
Keeping an eye on the greater good
At the first Federal Council meeting after the elections, the right-wing majority in the Federal Council arbitrarily decided that the two pending initiatives on healthcare costs would not be submitted to the people as soon as possible, but only in summer 2024.
Ruthless power politics had been exercised here, criticized Pfister - "not to mention the main concern of the Swiss". The center expects something different from members of the FDP in the Federal Council.
"Strongest force in the center"
In the National Council elections in October, the centrist party achieved a voter share of 14.1 percent. This is an excellent result, said Pfister. The CVP and BDP together had previously achieved 13.8 percent. Important decisions are still pending in the Council of States, "but here, too, things are looking very positive for the center".
The party had exceeded its election target of stabilizing the merger result and remained the strongest force in the political center. It has been rewarded for its independent course, which has set itself apart from the left and right.
Three political poles have formed in Switzerland. On the left, the SP and the Greens are so close that they are almost identical. On the right, the FDP has decided to align itself closely with the SVP. In between is the center with its constructive solutions.
Drei Parolen
The centrist delegates also adopted three slogans in Thun. They clearly said no to the trade unions' AHV initiative and the Young Liberals' pension initiative. Both initiatives will be put to the people on March 3, 2024.
The delegates voted resoundingly in favor of the occupational pension reform. The voters are expected to decide in June 2024.
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