Binder-Keller (center) wins Aargau seat in the Council of States

Published: Sunday, Nov 19th 2023, 14:50

In the canton of Aargau, National Councillor Marianne Binder-Keller has won a seat in the Council of States for the centrist party after 28 years. SVP National Councillor Benjamin Giezendanner was narrowly defeated in the run-off. This means that the party with the most voters in Aargau has lost its seat.

Binder-Keller received 84,431 votes and Giezendanner 79,429 votes. The turnout was 38.09 percent, as announced by the State Chancellery of Aargau on Sunday.

The 65-year-old Binder-Keller is also president of the cantonal party. She received support from the SP, GLP, EVP and the Greens. These parties did not put forward their candidates for the second round of voting.

In a statement, the center spoke of a "historic election victory for a balanced state vote". Binder-Keller told the media that she was able to represent the diversity of the canton of Aargau. She had received trust across party lines.

Binder-Keller has family roots in politics. Her father, Anton Keller, was a long-time CVP National Councillor and her father-in-law Julius Binder was a long-time CVP Councillor of States. A decade ago, the "Aargauer Zeitung" wrote of the "CVP Kennedys from Baden".

Burkart sees "undivided voice of the profession"

FDP member of the Council of States and party president Thierry Burkart said: "I am sure that we will work well together." His party had supported Giezendanner. Burkart, who had already been confirmed in the first round of voting, emphasized that from the perspective of the canton of Aargau, he had an undivided standing vote.

The 41-year-old Giezendanner, entrepreneur and president of the cantonal trade association, achieved the best result of the non-elected candidates in the first round of voting. National Councillor Giezendanner said that the "center-left" candidate had been elected. The women's issue had certainly played a role. His father, Ulrich Giezendanner, had already tried to retain the seat in the Council of States for the SVP in 2011.

Former BDP politician moves up

One woman and one man will represent the canton of Aargau in the Council of States for the next four years. FDP member of the Council of States and party president Thierry Burkart had already been confirmed in the first round of voting.

With the election of Binder-Keller to the small chamber, a middle seat in the large chamber will become vacant. The 62-year-old member of the Grand Council Maya Bally will take her place. The project manager switched from the BDP to the former CVP and current centrist party in 2020. "Well, I'm not saying no", said Bally.

©Keystone/SDA

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Binder-Keller (center) wins Aargau seat in the Council of States

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