Tiana Moser snatches the seat in the Zurich Council of States from the conservatives
Published: Sunday, Nov 19th 2023, 15:40
Updated At: Sunday, Nov 19th 2023, 15:43
Volver a Live Feed
GLP National Councillor Tiana Angelina Moser makes the leap into the Council of States. The 44-year-old clearly outperforms SVP National Councillor Gregor Rutz in the second round of voting. In the canton of Zurich, the conservative camp thus loses its seat.
Moser received 206,493 votes and Rutz 159,328 votes, according to the Zurich cantonal statistics office on Sunday afternoon. The voter turnout was 39.6 percent.
Moser doubles number of votes
Rutz thus achieved practically the same number of votes as in the first round. He was unable to mobilize many additional voters. Moser, on the other hand, almost doubled her number of votes; this is probably due in part to sympathizers of theSP and the Greens, who - unlike in the first round of voting - were no longer able to list their own candidates on the ballot paper.
Tiana Moser won significantly more votes than the SVP candidate, particularly in the cities of Zurich and Winterthur. But she also came out on top in agglomeration communities such as Illnau-Effretikon, Schlieren and Wettswil am Albis. Gregor Rutz came top in many rural communities. However, the lead there was too small for him to win.
The canton of Zurich is not a left-wing canton, said Rutz on election Sunday. "But the middle classes in the countryside don't go to the polls enough - unlike the left in the cities." He also criticized the cooperation: the bourgeois side would have to pull together to be able to win.
Moser attributed her victory to the great commitment of a broad alliance that stood behind her. Contrary to what the SVP claims, she was not only supported by the left. Her candidacy was also supported by personalities from business circles.
Defeat for the conservative camp
The election of the GLP candidate is a bitter defeat for Zurich's conservative camp. SP Councillor of States Daniel Jositsch had already won re-election in the first round of voting. The second seat, which became vacant following the resignation of Ruedi Noser (FDP), remained unfilled on October 22.
Various candidates withdrew after the first round of voting. The FDP also withdrew its candidate from the race in order to join forces in the conservative camp. National Councillor Regine Sauter had achieved more votes than Moser, but was well behind Rutz.
In the second election campaign, Moser was supported not only by her GLP party but also by the EPP, SP and Greens. Rutz had the support of the SVP and FDP. This was not undisputed within the FDP; the FDP women voted to abstain. The Center Party also decided to abstain.
With Moser's election to the Council of States, her seat in the National Council will become vacant. This will be taken over by Patrick Hässig. The former radio presenter and current nursing specialist and part-time drum teacher is already politically active for the GLP in the parliament of the city of Zurich and in the cantonal parliament.
©Keystone/SDA
Spanish 
English 
German 
French 
Arabic