SP opposes cost brake initiative of the center
Published: Saturday, Feb 24th 2024, 19:20
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The Social Democrats have rejected the centrist cost brake initiative. At their party meeting on Saturday, the SP delegates decided to focus exclusively on their own premium relief initiative in the fight against high health insurance premiums. The two proposals will be put to the vote on June 9.
The centrist cost brake initiative calls for measures to be taken if healthcare costs rise too sharply compared to wages. Barbara Gysi (NR/SG) argued to the delegates in Le Grand-Saconnex GE that this mechanism for cost containment in the healthcare system would possibly lead to benefit cuts, increased pressure on staff or higher deductibles. A majority of delegates backed these arguments, contrary to the party leadership's proposal.
The delegates agreed that their own initiative to reduce the health insurance initiative, the Premium Reduction Initiative, was better suited to tackling the problems with healthcare costs. The SP's Premium Reduction Initiative calls for more premium reductions. Insured persons should have to spend a maximum of ten percent on compulsory health insurance.
The SP also adopted slogans for the other proposals that will be put to the vote on June 9. For example, the delegates voted clearly in favor of the energy decree, which is intended to promote the development of renewable energies. They clearly said no to the popular initiative "For freedom and physical integrity", the so-called "Stop compulsory vaccination initiative".
Bye bye Berset - Hello Jans
Alain Berset was also officially bid farewell at the party meeting on Saturday. "I tried to give my all at all times, with a lot of heart," said Berset in Le Grand-Saconnex. "I take my hat off to you and what you have achieved," said his successor Beat Jans.
The new head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) also defended his asylum plans in his speech to the delegates. He would introduce 24-hour procedures for people from countries with little chance of asylum, said Jans.
In view of the war in Ukraine, which has been going on for two years, Jans called for international solidarity. Switzerland supports the sanctions against Russia and is committed to humanitarian and international efforts, continued the Minister of Justice.
The new Minister of the Interior, Eveline Baume-Schneider, also bid farewell to Berset. In her speech to the delegates, the Federal Councillor emphasized the importance of commitment to social justice and called for the existing forms of poverty in Switzerland to be combated.
Fighting poverty
Poverty was the focus of the Social Democrats' party conference. The delegates adopted a position paper calling for an end to poverty in Switzerland by 2030. "By 2030, everyone in Switzerland should be able to lead a dignified and independent life," said Valérie Piller Carrard (NR/FR) to the delegates. According to the SP, 745,000 people, almost a tenth of the Swiss population, are considered to be living in poverty.
In the longer term, a radical redistribution of work, income and wealth is needed to end poverty, according to the position paper. Until then, however, the Social Democrats are relying on a consistent expansion of public services.
Specifically, the SP is calling for an expansion of childcare structures and educational opportunities that are explicitly open to children from families with precarious financial circumstances. Supplementary benefits for families are also needed.
According to the SP, wages are another key factor. In its position paper, the party calls for cross-industry minimum wages. The SP also advocates that social welfare and supplementary benefits should be paid proactively, i.e. without the need to submit an application.
Against highway expansion
In anticipation of the probable votes in September, the SP also rejected the reform of the occupational pension scheme. The delegates also rejected proposals for changes to tenancy law and the expansion of freeways. The referendums against these two proposals were submitted in January.
The SP delegates also spoke out against uniform financing of healthcare services (Efas). Signatures are currently being collected for a referendum against this bill. However, the Social Democrats are not actively supporting this referendum. This would have required a two-thirds majority, which was not achieved at the party meeting.
©Keystone/SDA
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