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For the SVP, opponents of measures such as Nicolas Rimoldi (28) were a gift in the Corona crisis. Moderate, friends of the constitution, freedom fighters: the right-wing party benefited from the stakes of the movements that emerged during the Covid pandemic. She was able to surf the corona skeptic wave without breaking a sweat herself.
But now the wind is turning. In the federal elections next October, the critics of the measures in numerous cantons want to compete with their own lists. “There is hope that we will get more than one seat,” says Patrick Jetzer (50), chairman of Aufrecht Switzerland. The Mass-voll movement has announced that it will nominate candidates in about half of the cantons.
SVP is concerned
The SVP is about one. Although the SVP is growing according to the latest election barometer: the party fears that the factions will cost its votes.
Marcel Dettling (42), campaign manager of the SVP, speaks of a “dark cloud” piling up in the sky. “With your strategy you hurt those who are actually closest to you,” the National Council of Schwyz was annoyed by the opponents of the measure. He is sure that their lists will not only harm the SVP, but above all.
Dettling refers to the most recent results of the cantonal elections. In those cantons where the skeptics competed with their own lists, they fared less well than in cantons without a critics’ list.
EDU could benefit from this
Political scientist Michael Hermann (51) also expects that the opponents of the measures will cost the SVP votes in particular. The director of opinion research institute Sotomo thinks that the Greens are in danger of losing voices from the anti-vaccination environment to the corona activists to a slightly lesser extent. He also assumes that the critics of the measures will also mobilize people who have not voted before or who put the list of minor parties in the ballot box.
Such a small party could benefit from the mobilization of skeptics: the Christian-conservative EDU. Aufrecht Switzerland aims for list connections with the EDU in various cantons. The deal has already been finalized in Thurgau and a letter of intent has reportedly been signed in Zurich. An alliance is also likely to emerge in the canton of Bern.
As a rule, list connections primarily benefit the party with the most votes – in most cases this is likely to be the EDU. The votes on both electoral lists are first added together to determine the distribution of seats. Only then are the seats allocated to the individual lists.
Barbara Müller (60) was a member of the Thurgau canton council for ten years for the SP. But then came Corona – and the geologist got into a fight with her party. Now she is a candidate on the Mass-voll list for the National Council.
Müller is not the only candidate from the camp of opponents of the measures with political experience. Over the weekend, former Zurich FDP cantonal councilor and entrepreneur Alex Gantner (54) announced his candidacy for Mass-voll. Former SVP, GLP and Green Party politicians can also be found on their lists, says President Nicolas Rimoldi (28), who is himself a candidate in Zurich.
The majority of women and men who run for Mass-voll and Co. however, are political newcomers – and their chances are therefore almost zero in most cases. Probably the best-known former critic of measures who want to make the leap into politics is comedian Marco Rima (62). He is a candidate for the Council of States in Zug.
In Uri, IT entrepreneur Josef Ender (53) is running as a non-party candidate. As spokesman for the action alliance Urkantone on the frontline against the Covid law, he had collected signatures. And in Thurgau, vaccination opponent Daniel Stricker (53) even founded his own party with a view to the elections, for which he wants to run. Dressed as an Indian, he founded the “Freedom Party” last month, which he says is an “art project, cultural association and political party” in one. The party program: “We say no to everything.” (lha)
Barbara Müller (60) was a member of the Thurgau canton council for ten years for the SP. But then came Corona – and the geologist got into a fight with her party. Now she is a candidate on the Mass-voll list for the National Council.
Müller is not the only candidate from the camp of opponents of the measures with political experience. Over the weekend, former Zurich FDP cantonal councilor and entrepreneur Alex Gantner (54) announced his candidacy for Mass-voll. Former SVP, GLP and Green Party politicians can also be found on their lists, says President Nicolas Rimoldi (28), who is himself a candidate in Zurich.
The majority of women and men who run for Mass-voll and Co. however, are political newcomers – and their chances are therefore almost zero in most cases. Probably the best-known former critic of measures who want to make the leap into politics is comedian Marco Rima (62). He is a candidate for the Council of States in Zug.
In Uri, IT entrepreneur Josef Ender (53) is running as a non-party candidate. As spokesman for the action alliance Urkantone on the frontline against the Covid law, he had collected signatures. And in Thurgau, vaccination opponent Daniel Stricker (53) even founded his own party with a view to the elections, for which he wants to run. Dressed as an Indian, he founded the “Freedom Party” last month, which he says is an “art project, cultural association and political party” in one. The party program: “We say no to everything.” (lha)
Do skeptics cannibalize themselves?
One reason others might cheer is that critics of the measures have fallen out with each other. Instead of drawing up a list of candidates together, the different groups run separately. It is not even certain that one can bring oneself to enumerate connections. If not, they cannibalize themselves.
While Aufrecht Switzerland wants to join forces with the EDU, Mass-voll is said to be currently in talks with the SVP. National SVP election campaign chief Dettling says the cantonal parties were advised to enter into dialogue with critics of the measures. After all, this would prevent the skeptics from stealing their votes.
FDP will be decisive
But the big stumbling block – not only in Zurich – should be the FDP. With her, the SVP has already taken a decision on list connections in various cantons. The SVP is clear: at least in the left wing of Freisinn, resistance is being programmed at the prospect of FDP voters supporting Rimoldi with their votes.
Source:Blick
I am Liam Livingstone and I work in a news website. My main job is to write articles for the 24 Instant News. My specialty is covering politics and current affairs, which I’m passionate about. I have worked in this field for more than 5 years now and it’s been an amazing journey. With each passing day, my knowledge increases as well as my experience of the world we live in today.
