Industry wants more power: ‘There are far too many desk clerks in Parliament’

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Swiss industry wants more influence in federal Bern. From the point of view of the Swissmem association, which represents companies in the machinery, electrical and metal industries, the sector is underrepresented in the National Council and the Council of States. To change that, the association launched a campaign ahead of the federal elections in the fall.

Need more practitioners

“The aim is to strengthen the voice of industry in parliament,” says Swiss President Martin Hirzel (53). An election platform was set up where sitting parliamentarians and new candidates who come from the industry themselves or who stand up for its interests can join. Those who are on it are supported by the association in the election campaign – for example with advertisements on social media.

“Today there are far too many bureaucrats in parliament,” says Thurgau SVP National Councilor Diana Gutjahr, 39, who runs a steel and metal construction company with her husband. That is why the campaign is necessary. “The industry or the manufacturing sector is not listened to enough in Bern.”

Former Federal Councilor supports industry

For example, Yannick Berner (30) from Aargau, who is on the board of Urma AG, a company that makes precision tools, wants to be elected. The technology industry accounts for 30 percent of Swiss goods exports and employs 330,000 people. “It should not be the case that our successful industry is not represented in Bern. Too much is at stake,” says the FDP candidate.

Former federal councilor and former entrepreneur Johann Schneider-Ammann (71) is also campaigning for more industry representatives in parliament. The framework conditions for industry in Switzerland are still better than elsewhere, he says. “But Bundesbern needs more industry fans.” They are also aware of the enormous value of vocational training, adds the former federal councillor, who zealously promoted Swiss vocational training abroad during his tenure.

One in five is an entrepreneur

The business community has been complaining for years that there are too few entrepreneurs in the Federal Palace who are committed to the business community. Business representatives look enviously at the powerful farmers’ lobby, which knows how to defend its interests in parliament like no other professional group.

In fact, the number of entrepreneurs in parliament has fallen from the last to the current legislature. But according to an evaluation of the “Handelzeitung”, there are still 44 entrepreneurs among the 246 national and state councils – most of them politicize for the SVP. This corresponds to a share of 18 percent.

Source:Blick