36 National Council members resign: they voluntarily turn their backs on the Bundestag

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Nervousness and sadness: these two feelings dominated the Federal Palace in recent weeks. There was nervousness among lawmakers worried about their re-election on Sunday. There was a sense of melancholy among those no longer competing.

For 36 of the 245 sitting National Council members – one Council of States seat is vacant – election Sunday will be completely stress-free, as they will voluntarily forego re-election and hand over their mandates to new hands on December 4. Blick gives the overview:

The SVP recorded the greatest bloodshed. Eleven SVP members turn their backs on the Bundeshaus. These include political dinosaurs such as Walter Wobmann (65, SO) or Alex Kuprecht (65, SZ), both of whom are stepping down after twenty years. With “Weltwoche” boss Roger Köppel (58, ZH), the king of absences also grants himself a permanent dispensation. A trio from Bern, Andrea Geissbühler (47), Andreas Aebi (64) and Erich von Siebenthal (64), are also resigning – all due to internal term limits within the party.

Fewer SVP initiatives are expected with the departure of Yvette Estermann (56, LU), who kept the federal government on its toes with numerous critical demands, especially during the corona pandemic. Further departures include: Jean-Pierre Grin (76, VD), Verena Herzog (67, TG), Peter Keller (52, NW) and Hansjörg Knecht (63, AG).

There are nine parliamentarians in the FDP who no longer want to know anything about it. This includes the cleaners Kurt Fluri (68, SO) and Christa Markwalder (48, BE), who at twenty years old are among the oldest in office in Bern. In Zurich, the Freisinn has to deal with the dismissal of Doris Fiala (66) and Ruedi Noser (62).

Jacques Bourgeois (65, FR), Rocco Cattaneo (64, TI), Christian Lüscher (59, GE), Olivier Français (68, VD) and Thomas Hefti (63, GL) are also missing.

The SP registered eight departures. Among them are consumer lawyer Prisca Birrer-Heimo (64, LU) and state councilors Hans Stöckli (71, BE) and Roberto Zanetti (68, SO), who are part of the old SP guard.

In addition, the SP must defend the seats of other people who are leaving, namely: Angelo Barrile (47, ZH), Yvonne Feri (57, AG), Edith Graf-Litscher (59, TG), Sandra Locher Benguerel (48, GR) and Ada Marra (50, VD).

The center has to say goodbye to five parliamentarians. The best-known figure: National councilor Martin Landolt (55, GL), the last BDP president who merged his party with the CVP to form the new center.

Ida Glanzmann (65, LU), Jean-Paul Gschwind (70, JU), Marco Romano (40, TI) and probably the most famous Swiss brewer Alois Gmür (68, SZ) are also saying goodbye. What is striking: there is not a single member of the Council of States among the dropouts. It is not surprising that the center wants to defend its stronghold in Stöckli.

The Greens will have to do without State Councilor Adèle Thorens Goumaz (51, VD) in the future – and will hardly be able to defend their seat in Vaud. The Green group also includes the retiring Stefanie Prezioso Batou (54, GE), but she was chosen for the left-wing group Ensemble à Gauche.

The Greens are under pressure after their election victory four years ago. It is therefore not surprising that almost everyone who has participated so far is running again to keep the impending losses as low as possible.

The GLP was one of the election winners four years ago and therefore still has many ‘newcomers’ in its group. The only departure: Thomas Brunner (63, SG) leaves after four years in Bundesbern.

Source:Blick