Frank A. Meyer – column: Mildly elevated temperature

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Claude Longchamp, a left-wing political scientist, gave the country his blessing: “A really good debate culture has developed in Switzerland over the last 25 years.”

Is it possible to demand more during an election campaign? In an interview with the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, the former teledemoscop criticizes this and that about the “prevailing discourse,” as he uses the academic expression. But the pros and cons are part of democracy—and, of course, part of the job of a political scientist.

What do political scientists actually do? They see what citizens see, and then they explain to citizens what they see.

But what do citizens see?

They see a calm Switzerland, that is, a rather difficult Switzerland for the exciting decisions that elections actually require. First of all, the media, which thrives on excitement, sees Switzerland as being quite productive for them, which is why, in the absence of election fever, they are so grateful to the youth of the Social Democrats, who, under the acronym Juso, now lead this old and venerable party.

Yes, something is still happening among the comrades: the young against the elders, and the “elders” are already considered too old, at least for the Social Democratic position that has become vacant in the Federal Council.

So the SPS minions advertise one of their own, like Cedric Vermouth, who uses his beard to make it clear that he is now one of those with a beard – having escaped adolescence.

So just not an adult! It would offend the spirit of the times. The philosopher Odo Marquardt put it clearly: “The modern revaluation of being a child and youth – encouraged by the interpretation of progress as decadence – ultimately means that, to the applause of adults, young people rehearse rebellion: as a movement of resistance to the upward movement.”

Then this will be the formula of the “last generation”, including the comrades.

The question of Berset’s successor in this election campaign means that the temperature is still somewhat elevated: whether the left and greens – in the words of Father Longchamp, “virtually identical in content” – will be strong enough in parliament to carry the left-green hegemony out of the lecture hall to the council chamber and thus shape the political culture of Switzerland?

There will be no end to the comfort. This will be only the beginning of a further career for the Green left, which will ultimately guarantee a new comfort – those who have arrived do not want to leave.

What if an adult, like Beat Jans or even Daniel Jozic, is elected? Then everything would be as it has always been.

Like Switzerland.

Source: Blick