In Lucerne, the SP and GLP are fighting for the city presidency
Published: Sunday, Apr 14th 2024, 10:41
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In Lucerne, there will be a competitive election for the office of mayor on April 28, which will decide the direction of the city. Beat Züsli of the SP must defend the office against Stefan Sägesser of the GLP, who is supported by the center and FDP.
The 60-year-old Züsli was elected to the city council (government) and the office of mayor in 2016. He ousted the incumbent "Stapi" Stefan Roth (center) and made history as the first left-wing mayor of Lucerne.
In 2020, Councillor Martin Merki (FDP) failed in his attempt to bring the office back into the hands of the citizens. In this year's elections, Züsli is also facing a challenge from the conservative side, namely from GLP candidate Sägesser.
The 59-year-old city parliamentarian told the "Luzerner Zeitung" newspaper that Züsli was not noticeable enough as mayor. In fact, Züsli seems reserved compared to the city fathers of earlier years. He himself said that times had changed and that he had little use for the term "city father".
Left majority sought
However, Sägesser also has to defend the vacant GLP seat on the city council. He does this with pointedly bourgeois statements. He is in favor of a lean state that promotes people and ideas and does not create obstacles, he writes on his homepage.
Sägesser is also fighting for a seat on the city council against Melanie Setz. The SP is using her to try to win a second seat in the city government and thus help the red-green camp gain a majority.
The main victim of the SP strategy could be the GLP, the smallest of the governing parties. A similar SP attack failed in 2020. Since 2012, the city government has been made up of one member each from the SP, the Greens, the GLP, the Center Party and the FDP.
In addition to the GLP, the Greens and FDP must also defend their vacant seats. The Greens are sending Korintha Bärtsch, a high-profile cantonal councillor, into the race, while the Free Democrats are sending city councillor and parliamentary group leader Marco Baumann. Franziska Bitzi Staub from the Center Party is running again.
SVP wants to join the government
The only party represented in the city council (parliament) that does not have a seat on the city council is the SVP. After unsuccessful attempts in the past, it is making a new attempt with entrepreneur Peter With (SVP).
Not only the city of Lucerne, but a total of 78 of Lucerne's 80 municipalities will elect their government on April 28. Two municipalities that are merging will not vote until later. The city of Lucerne and the four agglomeration municipalities of Emmen, Kriens, Horw and Ebikon will also be electing their parliaments.
©Keystone/SDA
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