Second round of elections for the Council of States: Things are now getting exciting in six cantons

The race in the canton of Geneva remains exciting and open. There was a surprise in the first round of voting. Mauro Poggia (64), former government member of Geneva and politician of the Mouvement Citoyens Genevois (MCG), overshadowed previous councilors Lisa Mazzone (35, Greens) and Carlo Sommaruga (64, SP). The common people now see a good opportunity to stop this dominance.

Céline Amaudruz (44) from the SVP also causes excitement. Although she was behind the previous two after the first round of voting, she reached fourth place. This means that the bourgeois ‘Alliance Genevoise’, consisting of the Centre, FDP, SVP and MCG, will probably hand over the Poggia/Amaudruz ticket for the second round of voting. Theoretically, it is not impossible (although unlikely) that the bourgeoisie will win both seats.

In Vaud, SP man Pierre-Yves Maillard (55) was elected in the first round. The national councilor and president of the Swiss Trade Union Federation was the only one to win an absolute majority. FDP candidate Pascal Broulis (58) must go to a second voting round. His strongest opponent in the second round is probably the Green Raphaël Mahaim (39). The left will probably rally behind him, even parts of the middle class.

While SP state councilor Daniel Jositsch (58) secured his seat in the Council of States in the first round of voting, a block election campaign will likely take place in the second round for the vacant seat of Ruedi Noser (63, FDP). . To keep the seat in civilian hands, the SVP and the FDP must agree on who they want to rely on: SVP national councilor Gregor Rutz (51), who received significantly more votes. Or FDP state councilor Regine Sauter (57), who could possibly get more votes in the middle.

This will also probably result in a single candidacy on the left and green sides; GLP state councilor Tiana Moser (44) is in pole position, but Daniel Leupi, financial director of the city of Zurich, (57, Greens) is also ready for the second round of voting. The parties are in discussions.

After the first round of voting, SP candidate Flavia Wasserfallen (44) is in the lead. Former SVP State Councilor Werner Salzmann (60) follows in second place. The duo has clearly left the competition behind, but both lack the absolute edge.

On Monday morning, the first candidates dropped out of the race for the second round of voting: Jürg Grossen (54, GLP), Lorenz Hess (62, center) and Marc Jost (49, EPP).

FDP candidate Sandra Hess (50) announced that she would give up if the Greens and Bernhard Pulver (58) also withdrew. If that were the case, Wasserfallen and Salzmann would be quietly elected.

The former central state councilor of Solothurn, Pirmin Bischof (54), was re-elected with confidence in the first round. The question remains open as to who will get the second Solothurn seat in Stöckli. This must be filled because Roberto Zanetti (68, SP) is no longer active.

Second place Franziska Roth (57, SP) and third place Christian Imark (41, SVP) are expected to compete again. The question is whether the FDP will withdraw government councilor Remo Ankli (50) due to his poor election result, thus paving the way for Imark.

Somewhat surprisingly, there is a second round of voting here. On the one hand, former SVP state councilor Hannes Germann (67) came through the elections in the first round. On the other hand, former non-party councilor Thomas Minder (62) missed the absolute majority. In the second round he will face Simon Stocker (SP) and Nina Schärrer (FDP). It is unclear whether the SVP will support Minder. She wants to decide in the coming days.