Another two departmental changes one year after a major reshuffle
Published: Thursday, Dec 14th 2023, 19:50
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After three departments were given new leadership at the beginning of 2023, there will be two more changes a year later. The move of the previously much-criticized Minister of Justice Elisabeth Baume-Schneider to the Department of Home Affairs after just one year is surprising.
The newly composed Federal Council will decide who will head which department in future following overall renewal and replacement elections. The distribution of departments will then be formally confirmed at the first meeting of the following year, on January 10, 2024.
It is not surprising that there are no changes in the departments led by conservative politicians. Karin Keller-Sutter (FDP) moved from the Department of Justice to the Department of Finance a year ago. The then newly elected Federal Councillor Albert Rösti (SVP) took over the Environment and Energy Department Uvek. Both were thus given their desired posts.
Baume-Schneider took over the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) from Keller-Sutter at the beginning of the year. She was in good company: it often happens that newly elected officials are given this rather unpopular department.
Baume-Schneider in the headwind
However, the fact that there is now a second change at the head of the FDJP within a year is unusual. One thing is clear: Justice Minister Baume-Schneider received the least support from Parliament of all the current members of government in the general elections on Wednesday, with 151 votes.
Baume-Schneider has a particularly difficult time with the asylum dossier. Many members of the middle classes are not satisfied with her work. The SVP in particular repeatedly accuses Baume-Schneider of not being up to her task.
Some of the criticism can be dismissed as an election campaign maneuver. But Baume-Schneider is not undisputed even in the center-left camp. In the media, she is described as "appreciated as a person, but weak in terms of content and strategy". According to opinion polls, she is considered to have little influence.
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