The SVP has never had a federal councilor. And even now, it doesn’t look like that’s going to change anytime soon. Because so far only men have shown interest in the succession of Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer (71). After Albert Rösti (55) and Werner Salzmann (58), Zug’s financial director Heinz Tännler (62) announced over the weekend that he wanted to become a member of the Federal Council.
The fact that only men have reported so far displeases even the most important voices in the traditional SVP. For example, SVP party chairman Marco Chiesa (46) wishes that not only men are sent into the race. That’s what he tells Blick. Former party leader Toni Brunner (48) has also publicly advocated for a woman on the map.
Triple ticket with wife
Chiesa is confident that his party will find another candidate “with political experience and great human qualities” in the coming days. Even if the men “who have already publicly expressed their interest are extremely competent and valuable.”
But so far there has been a shower of refusals from the SVP women for the government office. Magdalena Martullo-Blocher (53), Esther Friedli (45), Monika Rüegger (54) or the Zurich government councilor Natalie Rickli (45) all gave the party a basket.
In the “Sonntagszeitung” the national councilor Barbara Steinemann (46) of Zurich presents a three-way ticket for the elections to the Federal Council. In addition to two SVP men, there must be room for a woman who is nominated for election. Confronted with this, party leader Chiesa says: “I do not rule out the fact that the group will choose three representatives from German-speaking Switzerland.”
Blöchliger informed on Monday
The focus is now on Nidwalden councilor Michèle Blöchliger (55). Last week, she confirmed that she was in talks with her family and the party about a possible candidate for the Federal Council. On Monday she wants to announce whether she will make herself available at a media conference in Stans.
However, the central Switzerland native has not yet made a name for herself on the national stage – apart from the corona pandemic, when she was in the public eye as a health director. She has been in the cantonal government for four years, before that she spent 16 years in the cantonal parliament.
Her choice would also be a first for Nidwalden. The canton has never been represented in the Federal Council.
Favorite hash browns
Even if Blöchliger were to make himself available for the elections on Monday: Albert Rösti would remain the crown favorite for the office. This is apparent from a study by the Sunday Blick in collaboration with research institute Sotomo.
When asked who should be Maurer’s successor, the Bern National Council clapped. He is the darling of the party base: about half of the SVP voters are for the networked lobbyist and significantly less for Salzmann. According to the research, Rösti is even popular with supporters of the FDP, Mitte and GLP.
The cantonal parties have until Friday to submit applications. After that, there will be hearings in the search committee headed by Caspar Baader (69). The committee intends to submit its advice to the board of the SVP chamber group by 11 November at the latest.