First candidate for Green presidency comes from Geneva
Published: Tuesday, Jan 23rd 2024, 21:20
Updated At: Tuesday, Jan 23rd 2024, 21:20
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Following the announcement of the departure of Green Party President Balthasar Glättli, there is speculation about a possible successor. The closing date for candidates is February 4. The first official confirmation of candidacy so far has come from Geneva from Lisa Mazzone.
Who is running
LISA MAZZONE: 35-year-old Mazzone is the only one to have thrown her hat into the ring so far and is running for President of the Swiss Green Party. She said this on January 23 in an interview with the Tamedia newspapers and "Le Temps". "After giving it a lot of thought, I realized that it appealed to me. I believe that the office would be the right place to contribute my skills and convictions," said Mazzone in an interview with the Tamedia newspapers. That's why she decided to run for office: "My heart simply beats for the Greens!" The politician missed out on re-election to the Council of States last fall.
Still open answer:
SIBEL ARSLAN: The Basel National Councillor is interested in a co-presidency. However, the 43-year-old lawyer and Swiss-Turkish dual citizen told the Keystone-SDA news agency that she wanted to think about it carefully. She could imagine holding the office together with Lisa Mazzone.
IRENE KÄLIN: The 36-year-old National Councillor from Aargau does not want to rule out her participation in a co-chairmanship of the party, but prefers to let others take the lead. The religious studies graduate and former President of the National Council believes that younger people, including men, would be more suitable for a two-person party leadership. She would be convinced by a co-presidency with Lisa Mazzone from Geneva.
Cancellations
MARIONNA SCHLATTER: The Zurich National Councillor withdrew from the race after Mazzone's announcement and announced that she would run for Vice President instead. Schlatter congratulated her on her candidacy on X (formerly Twitter): "Bravo, Lisa, on your candidacy. I would like to support you as Vice President," she wrote.
GRETA GYSIN: National Councillor Greta Gysin from Ticino "thought long and hard" before making her decision, she told Keystone-SDA in mid-January. The office of President had appealed to her. In the end, she decided against it because she wanted to focus her energies on other tasks, such as the office of President of the National Council's Political Institutions Committee (SPK). She also decided against it for personal and professional reasons.
GERHARD ANDREY: After his candidacy for the Federal Council in December 2023, Gerhard Andrey from Fribourg was highly regarded as a possible party president of the Greens. However, he announced his withdrawal in mid-January. He announced that he wanted to devote his energy and time to his role as a member of the National Council and as a member of the board of directors of the software company Liip. The 48-year-old was elected to the National Council in 2019.
FLORENCE BRENZIKOFER: The 48-year-old Vice-President of the Swiss Green Party and recently re-elected National Councillor for Basel has decided not to run for the party presidency because she wants to devote herself primarily to her work as a member of parliament. In addition, the secondary school teacher would like to have more time for her commitment in the Basel region and in transport policy, as she explained to the Keystone-SDA news agency.
ALINE TREDE: The 40-year-old leader of the Green parliamentary group in the Swiss parliament initially expressed an interest in the party presidency or co-presidency, but decided against it by mid-January. The Bernese environmental scientist and Swiss-German dual citizen was directly elected to the National Council for the first time in October 2019 after standing twice for the Greens - and was re-elected last fall.
FABIEN FIVAZ: The Neuchâtel National Councillor has decided not to stand as a candidate. He had seriously considered running as a co-president, he announced on request. After careful consideration, he decided to concentrate on his parliamentary mandate. He did not want to give up his work in two committees and the Vice-Presidency of the parliamentary group, he explained. He also had paternal duties.
FRANZISKA RYSER: The 32-year-old St. Gallen National Councillor, who was re-elected in October, is also not interested in the presidency of the Swiss Green Party. She holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering from ETH Zurich and has "other professional priorities at the moment", as she told Keystone-SDA.
MATHIAS ZOPFI: He is not available, the 35-year-old member of the Council of States from Glarus told the Tamedia newspapers and "Blick". He is probably not the ideal candidate for the party presidency. Representing his canton is his top priority. In addition, he is already very busy as a lawyer.
©Keystone/SDA
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