Switzerland is different

What drama – by-elections to the Federal Council and the distribution of departments: Alain Berset remained in the EDI, so only the Federal Council was on duty; Albert Rösti of all people, climate-damaging lobbyist at UWEC; Elisabeth Baume-Schneider is just a Minister of Justice, not an environmental judge!

Everything went wrong, from the failure of the strict Basel native Eva Herzog to the punishment of Alain Berset in the election by a federal president with just 140 votes. The Social Democrats and the Greens – lost elections and subsequent reshuffles.

In the SonntagsZeitung, the leader called the SPS a “destruction party”. According to Green Zetermordio, the whole thing was immoral, if not illegal: SVP’s federal adviser to the Department of the Environment is nothing short of a “shame”, even a “crime” for climate lovers.

It couldn’t be worse. And the duet of kindergarten teachers at the head of the comradely party is to blame for this.

Whoever does not believe pays a thaler.

However, it should be noted that the Swiss system of government eschews any form of dramatization: seven equals whose president is equally equal and must resign after one year. In fact, this is not the kind of government to which you can compose spicy media rhythms. The college miraculously ranks higher, even resisting headline journalism.

Therefore, before Election Day, they helplessly fantasize about the “night of long knives” – and even conjure up a crime scene with the bar of the Bellevue State Hotel. But nothing decisive ever happened there. Even on the night that gave rise to the myth of the murder with a knife: on the eve of Lillian Uchtenhagen was not elected the first woman in the Bundesrat.

At that time, everything had already been decided long ago, like the night before, when the Christian Democrat Enrico Franzoni was not elected, when the Zurich deputy CVP Paul Eisenring threw the question to the motley group: “How do you spell Franzoni?” And the Basel Social Democrat Andreas Gerwig deciphered it: “H-u-rliemann.” The amusement at the late joke echoed through the restaurant. The election of Hans Hürlimann was already perfectly coordinated a few hours later.

Periodic snap elections for state government exhaust the political drama at the highest institutional level. Someone else’s body is not good for a play. Especially the members of his department.

Is the department of social affairs, health and culture, headed by SPS member Berset, worth less than the financial department, headed by FDP member Keller-Sutter? Is the Department of Justice, headed by the leftist Baume-Schneider, a closet compared to the State Department, headed by the centre-right Cassis? Should Amherd, a member of the Central Federal Council, as Minister of Defense be content with a secondary ministry?

Departments like federal advisers don’t care: that’s how it should be. The ministries are entrusted with broad responsibilities and great freedom of creativity. Anyone who does what they are charged with, who also oversees the affairs of the six co-rulers with collegiate responsibility, is – in a republican spirit – powerful.

That’s why headlines like “Power Politics Threatens Restart” or “Let Berset Go Bad” also fail their purpose—unless they’re to make a completely uninteresting question exciting.

Equality is boring – in the best democratic sense. Above and below are missing; there are no prominent positions of power to win; therefore, there is no power game; there are no intrigues that arise; and for this reason every “Night of the Long Knives” is missing.

The Florentine philosopher of power Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) would have despaired of the Swiss Federal Council and would never have written his world-famous Il Principe.

Although: The Federal Council, as well-balanced as it is functioning, has revolutionary roots – in the collegial concept of the five-member “directorate”, the last form of government of the French Revolution. After this attempt to prevent terror, similar to Robespierre, in the future, breaking the power at the head of the state, Napoleon came.

Yes Napoleon! That would be something for our common media age!

Instead, our government negotiates until an agreement is reached, or at least an agreement that can be presented to the outside world, and only in the worst case is a vote taken. Majority and Minority in the Federal Council: This is an exercise in the interpretation of smart journalists plus indiscretion. This can hardly be explained to Germans who believe in authority, monarchist French or anarchist Italians.

Indeed, Switzerland is different.