FDP Switzerland says yes to pension initiative and no to 13th AHV pension
Published: Saturday, Jan 20th 2024, 18:10
Updated At: Saturday, Jan 20th 2024, 18:10
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At its delegates' meeting in Zug on Saturday, the FDP Switzerland adopted six slogans for the votes on March 3 and in the coming months. The main focus was on the Young Liberals' pension initiative and the initiative for a 13th AHV pension.
Zug FDP cantonal councillor Jill Nussbaumer and Juso President Nicola Siegrist engaged in a debate on the topic of retirement provision. Nussbaumer spoke of the SP's "window-dressing" and said that the next generation would have to bear the consequences of the initiative. Siegrist countered that it was not the young who would be asked to pay, but those who could bear more.
The FDP delegates voted in favor of the Young Liberals' pension initiative by 328 votes to 3 with 2 abstentions. The tenor of the vote was that it would secure AHV pensions for future generations with a fair mechanism.
The popular initiative for a 13th AHV pension submitted by the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions and supported by left-wing parties was rejected by the FDP delegates by 323 votes to 2 with 11 abstentions. The FDP delegates felt that this would exacerbate the imbalance in the AHV fund.
In the view of the Federal Council, the initiative for a 13th AHV pension is not the right way to help needy pensioners, said Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter, who addressed the DM as a guest. The idea is "tempting". However, it is unclear who should pay for it.
Personal responsibility instead of subsidies
The FDP has unanimously said no to the SP's premium relief initiative. Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter said that the initiative distracted attention from the cause of the high premium burden: the massive increase in healthcare volumes. Much more reform is needed to reduce costs, she said.
With 333 no votes to one yes vote and three abstentions, the FDP also rejected the centrist cost brake initiative. The party wrote in a statement on Saturday that the major challenges could be solved with more market and personal responsibility instead of additional annual subsidies or an unsuitable cost brake.
With 305 votes to 7, the FDP says yes to the expansion of the highway at critical points. The bill aims to expand certain stretches of highway at a cost of CHF 5.3 billion. The FDP voted 267 yes to 29 no in favor of the energy package decree. This bill provides for measures to ensure security of supply and aims to promote the faster expansion of renewable energies in order to achieve climate targets.
Good relations with the EU "indispensable"
Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis also paid a visit to the delegates' meeting. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of relations with the European Union. The Federal Council is interested in further developing and stabilizing the bilateral approach. This was "indispensable".
He cited Switzerland's geographical location, the unstable international environment, which complicates many things and causes uncertainty, and the economy as three important reasons. The latter is the source of Switzerland's prosperity.
He concluded by advising the delegates' meeting to continue on the bilateral path. After all, this is also the liberal path.
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