SP and FDP fight for Beat Jans’ government seat in Basel
Published: Sunday, Mar 24th 2024, 10:50
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The race to fill the seat vacated by Beat Jans (SP) in the canton of Basel-Stadt will be between the SP and the FDP. In the second round of voting on April 7, the SP wants to defend its seat with former National Councillor Mustafa Atici. The FDP wants to return to the executive with Luca Urgese, a member of the cantonal parliament.
With the election of Jans to the Federal Council in December 2023, a seat has become vacant in Basel on the cantonal government and at the same time the presidency. In the first round of voting on March 3, none of the candidates achieved an absolute majority.
Education Director Conradin Cramer (LDP), who has been in office since 2017, is running for the presidency of the cantonal government. However, the second ballot is only a formality for him. His only rival is Eric Weber, the far-right councillor with no chance. Atici, who also ran for the presidency in the first round of voting, now only wants the government seat, leaving the field clear for Cramer.
Debate about inclusive schools
However, the race for the government seat is still open. Atici, a 54-year-old entrepreneur of Kurdish origin, received 24,526 votes (42.7 percent) in the first round of voting. The 37-year-old Urgese, Head of Finance and Taxation at the Basel Chamber of Commerce, received 20,725 votes (36.1 percent). Jérôme Thiriet, the Green Party candidate, was far behind in the first round with 8,396 (14.6 percent) votes. He withdrew from the race and is now supporting Atici.
The winner of the duel between the SP and FDP will probably take over the Department of Education from Cramer. Urgent dossiers there include the integrative school. Two years ago, the Basel-Stadt Voluntary School Synod teachers' association submitted an initiative to reintroduce separate special classes.
Cramer then proposed a package of measures as a counter-proposal, including so-called learning islands for children and young people with behavioral problems. Urgese spoke out in favor of the introduction of special classes during the election campaign. Atici, on the other hand, wants to stick to the principle of inclusive schools, but like Cramer, he is calling for improvements.
Commons want majority back
If Atici wins, the SP would retain its three seats in the seven-member government council, and Atici would be the first member of the Basel government with a migration background.
If Urgese wins, the conservatives would once again have a majority in the executive for the first time since the general elections in 2000. The LDP is currently represented in the government with two seats and the Center Party with one seat. The GLP also has one representative. Accordingly, Urgese has the support of all the conservative parties as well as the SVP.
The SP, the Greens and the left-wing Basta party are backing Atici, while the Green Liberals have decided to abstain.
Whichever of the two wins the race will have to face another election campaign just a few months later. On October 20, 2024, the canton of Basel-Stadt will hold general elections for the cantonal government and the Grand Council.
©Keystone/SDA
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