Only one Green wants to become a Federal Councillor
Published: Friday, Nov 3rd 2023, 13:30
Updated At: Saturday, Nov 4th 2023, 00:54
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Gerhard Andrey remains the only Green candidate for the Federal Council elections. With the Fribourg National Councillor, the party wants to contest one of the two FDP seats in the government in December.
Secretary General Rahel Estermann told the Keystone-SDA news agency on Friday that the party will decide on the official ticket with Andrey at the next parliamentary group meeting on November 10. Until then, there will still be a vetting process under the leadership of Councillor of States Adèle Thorens (VD), according to a press release. After the nomination, the internal party appearances will follow, said Estermann.
Numerous prominent Green politicians had previously withdrawn from the race, including Green Party President Balthasar Glättli (ZH), Geneva Councillor of States Lisa Mazzone, Ticino National Councillor Greta Gysin, Aargau National Councillor Irène Kälin and Glarus Councillor of States Mathias Zopfi.
Former Bern councillor Berhard Pulver also showed no interest in standing for election, as did Bern councillor Christine Häsler, Zurich National Councillor Bastien Girod and most recently - shortly after the registration deadline on Friday lunchtime - Zug National Councillor Manuela Weichelt. She could not reconcile the timing with "urgent private challenges", she wrote on request.
"No disappointment"
The fact that only one candidate has agreed to run against an incumbent member of the FDP government on December 13 is not at all a disappointment given the difficult starting position, Estermann continued. On the contrary, they were very pleased to be able to enter the election with "such a high-profile candidate". And the parliamentary group is very united behind Andrey.
Aline Trede, President of the parliamentary group, is quoted in the press release as saying that the man from Fribourg has the "ideal qualifications" for the Federal Council. With his many years of experience as an entrepreneur in the areas of digitalization and sustainability, as well as his commitment to reconciling work and family life, he lives the Green values of climate protection and equality. These are skills that are not represented in the government.
For a quarter of the population
Andrey also justified his candidacy last Sunday with the fact that a quarter of the population is not represented in the state government today. All those for whom climate protection, progressive entrepreneurship and digitalization are important are missing there. The younger generation is also not represented in the state government.
A seat for the Greens in the state government would therefore be much better justified than a second seat for the FDP. Furthermore, a general election should not be decided in advance, otherwise it would not be a real election.
Despite the 3.4 percentage point drop in voter share to 9.8% and the loss of five seats, the Green parliamentary group decided last weekend to contest one of the FDP's seats in the general elections on December 13. After the worst result in their history, the Free Democrats are overrepresented in the Federal Council. The climate, on the other hand, needs a seat in the government.
©Keystone/SDA
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