The eco-parties and the power cartel: discussion of the new magic formula in the Bundesrat

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When there is a need for a seat in the Bundesrat, the discussion about the magic formula inevitably arises. This question came up intensively after the 2019 elections, in which the ecoparties had grown strongly.

With the announcement of the resignation of Alain Berset (51), the discussion about the magic formula flared up again, although the parliamentary elections have yet to come. If the voters chastise the forecasters for lies and the Greens, contrary to expectations, gain momentum, this debate will really gain momentum. So far, there is no solution that adequately reflects the will of the people in the state government.

Comes to nothing

Talks between the parties started after the elections to the Bundesrat in 2019. But they came to nothing. After all, the power cartel of the parties in the Bundesrat has no interest in relinquishing a seat to the eco-parties.

The debates were quite exciting. According to information from Blick, the parties have discussed different models to improve representation. As is known, the share of voters in the National Council currently determines how many federal councilors a party receives. The fact that the three largest parties each get two seats and the fourth largest one seat, the so-called magic formula, no longer seems fair with the strengthening of the Greens and Green Liberals.

“Blocher Model”

However, the division by faction strength would not help the eco-parties either. Currently, the FDP should simply relinquish the second seat to the center party. According to reports, models have also been considered that would also take into account the seats in the cantonal parliaments. But these seem too complicated.

The “Blocher model” was also examined. The SVP brain Christoph Blocher (82) once demanded that the largest party – his own – get two seats in the government, the other five one each. That would marginalize all rival parties of the SVP. But even the SVP should not like this solution, because with a Green instead of a second SP member and a GLP representative instead of two FDP members, the Bundesrat would clearly be more Europe-friendly. That is not in the sense of the SVP.

«Model NZZ»

The “NZZ model” would also have led to conversations. Here parliament is divided into three camps, says one participant: left, right and centre. Left and right must have two seats. The middle three.

On the left, the Greens and SP were divided, on the right only the SVP. The focus was on the current Mitte party, the GLP and the FDP. Ultimately, however, this division again means that the FDP or the center, but also the SP, have to give up a seat – which they do not want. And the Greens and the GLP would again have to hope in vain.

However, what the parties liked at the time was everyone’s promise not to vote out the incumbent federal councilors. A promise that the power cartel, combined with the promise to choose only candidates from the official lot of the parties in midterm elections, has successfully fulfilled to this day. And that must continue to exclude the eco-parties.

Source:Blick