From botched flights to blackmail, these Berset scandals made headlines

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2018 was Alain Berset’s (51) first year as federal president. In New York, the man from Freiburg, known for his stylish appearance, had the eyes of the world at the time: a snapshot published in the media showed the “Swiss President” in front of the UN building reading documents, dressed in a suit and sitting on a curb. Everyone seemed to be celebrating the oh-so-normal Swiss. But a look at Freiburg’s career also reveals a series of scandals.

She was his lover and then a threat. In December 2019, a woman threatens Alan Berset. She claimed to have private e-mail and photos in her possession. Berset would have to transfer money or the documents would become public. But the Federal Council does not agree with this, but files a criminal complaint. The federal prosecutor’s office and the federal detectives investigate, and a special unit eventually leads the woman out of her apartment in handcuffs. Several media outlets accused Berset of receiving preferential treatment from the authorities. The “Weltwoche” goes one step further and claims that Berset lied to Fedpol and the federal prosecutor. The allegations are making waves and Parliament is even setting up its company assessment committee on them. This leads to the conclusion: Berset behaved correctly.

It’s basically just a mast, made of metal and lots of electronics. A GSM antenna. Swisscom wanted to set it up in the Befaux municipality of Freiburg to expand the 5G network. But not with Alain Berset. The Bundesrat set the alarm. He immediately declared war on the antenna and objected to other residents. Successfully. The antenna was never set up. Irony of history: Minister of Health Berset prevented the project, arguing: “Electromagnetic waves of technological origin, especially those emanating from mobile phone technology, have harmful effects on humans and animals”.

Always political, federal building and parliament! When work at the Federal Palace weighs too much on Berset, he flees into the cockpit of a small plane and takes off. The Bundesrat can relax high above the clouds. Where he is far removed from everyday politics. Unfortunately, rules also apply in the air. And the Federal Council inadvertently ignored it when it flew over a restricted military area in France, alerting the local air police. Fighter jets took down the Federal Council. Luckily intact. The whole thing nevertheless got an aftermath in the Swiss media and caused a lot of mockery about pilot Berset.

This affair probably caused the most uproar and scratched the shining man’s image the most. The accusation: During the corona pandemic, dozens of confidential emails from the Berset department ended up in Marc Walder’s mailbox. Walder is CEO of Ringier-Verlag, which also publishes Blick. The emails were sent by Peter Lauener, Berset’s head of communications at the time. Internal information about the pandemic measures should have reached Walder. Did Berset know of regular exchanges between his subordinates and Walder? Did he even make him do it? Berset denied this to a special prosecutor. He also rejected a deal between his department and the media company. Even if Berset resigns now, this latest scandal is not over. Justice continues the investigation. The parliamentary audit committee has also considered the issue. (rba)

Source:Blick