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The FDP is ahead of the center party in terms of voter share. And the FDP will probably have two more federal council members by the end of this year. So much for the good news for the Liberals. The bad ones are more numerous: with 39 mandates, the FDP has clearly fewer national and state councilors than the center with 44.
And: The withdrawal of several FDP candidates for the second round of the elections for the Council of States did not lead to the success that citizens had hoped for. In Zurich, national councilor Regine Sauter (57) withdrew from SVP council colleague Gregor Rutz (51), who failed. In Solothurn, government councilor Remo Ankli (50) preferred SVP national councilor Christian Imark (41), who also lost. In Ticino they fought but lost.
Moreover, in Schaffhausen, the liberal candidate Nina Schärrer (36) withdrew after the first voting round, while she had actually wanted to stand as a candidate. But she faced strong opposition within her own ranks.
Then don’t do that, Schärrer told himself – with the result that Thomas Minder (62), who was not a party member but a politician in the SVP faction, was not re-elected, but, as a big surprise, SP candidate Simon Stocker (42) resigned. to the Council of States. And even though she was no longer a candidate, Schärrer still received more than a thousand votes. “Many residents of Schaffhausen wanted a moderate position between the two extremes Minder and Stocker,” the FDP politician explains. The bourgeois camp lacked the courage to rely on her as a new candidate.
“The FDP needs more backbone and we must stand stronger behind our positions,” says Schärrer. “If we always position ourselves as junior partners of the SVP, we will lose our liberal profile.”
And how does the SVP thank the FDP for its support? She criticizes the Liberals for having proven to be an unreliable partner in the Citizens’ Alliance. And within the FDP itself there is now intense criticism that the Liberal Party has thrown itself at the neck of the conservative SVP, alienating potential voters and driving them into the arms of the center and the GLP. Moreover, the political organization Operation Libero assumes that the FDP on X is trapped in a “toxic coalition with the SVP”.
In addition, under the dome of the Federal Palace, the finger is pointed at FDP members such as Beat Walti (54) from Zurich. Well-known party members – after all, Walti was once parliamentary group leader – had achieved such a modest result in the elections for the National Council that they would probably have to wrestle with the question of whether it would not be wiser to resign. take risks during the new term to avoid being voted out within four years.
Blick: Mr. Burkart, the elections did not go well for the FDP. There is criticism, especially because of the elections for the Council of States.
Thierry Burkart: Our performance in the elections for the Council of States was not dramatic, but of course disappointing. That’s true. Above all, the deselection of Philippe Bauer came as a surprise, which I find very unfortunate for him and for us.
Here and there they withdrew in favor of the SVP in the second voting round for the Council of States. In return, the SVP now accuses you of abandoning them.
Only those who run for office can win an election! Here and there we probably retreated too early in favor of the SVP. If, on the evening of the first voting round in one canton or another, we had confidently announced that we would of course also go to the second voting round, things might have turned out differently. I respect the decisions of the respective cantonal parties, but one of the lessons I have learned is that we should think twice about whether we participate or not. The SVP now encourages us to stand as candidates for the upcoming elections.
But there is also criticism from our own ranks that the FDP has thrown itself too much at the SVP’s neck. Is that true?
I don’t think we have politicized too much along the lines of the SVP. In 2023, topics on which we have the same views as the SVP were popular, but when it comes to Europe, for example, our differences will become clearer again in 2024.
What lessons do you learn from the FDP’s performance?
In the first days of the winter session I will submit a proposal to abolish list connections. Without list connections, the will of voters takes on more weight. It cannot be the case that someone votes for the GLP and thereby helps an SP candidate in parliament.
Does the advance have a chance?
It is difficult to judge whether my issue can gain a majority, but the fact that its success seems uncertain is no reason not to address a complaint.
And in terms of content? Did everything go perfectly with the FDP?
Naturally, we analyze what substantive errors we may have made. The FDP has set up a working group for this purpose. Without getting ahead of this group: I think that many other parties show more clearly than us the benefits that voters have when they vote for this party. No, all parties show this better than we do.
Is there anything else where the competition is leading the way?
What the other parties are probably also doing better: people withdraw early, and not only at the end of the legislature. In my opinion, this is not ideal because MPs are elected for four years. But if other parties play by these rules, we must do the same if we want to win elections.
Blick: Mr. Burkart, the elections did not go well for the FDP. There is criticism, especially because of the elections for the Council of States.
Thierry Burkart: Our performance in the elections for the Council of States was not dramatic, but of course disappointing. That’s true. Above all, the deselection of Philippe Bauer came as a surprise, which I find very unfortunate for him and for us.
Here and there they withdrew in favor of the SVP in the second voting round for the Council of States. In return, the SVP now accuses you of abandoning them.
Only those who run for office can win an election! Here and there we probably retreated too early in favor of the SVP. If, on the evening of the first voting round in one canton or another, we had confidently announced that we would of course also go to the second voting round, things might have turned out differently. I respect the decisions of the respective cantonal parties, but one of the lessons I have learned is that we should think twice about whether we participate or not. The SVP now encourages us to stand as candidates for the upcoming elections.
But there is also criticism from our own ranks that the FDP has thrown itself too much at the SVP’s neck. Is that true?
I don’t think we have politicized too much along the lines of the SVP. In 2023, topics on which we have the same views as the SVP were popular, but when it comes to Europe, for example, our differences will become clearer again in 2024.
What lessons do you learn from the FDP’s performance?
In the first days of the winter session I will submit a proposal to abolish list connections. Without list connections, the will of voters takes on more weight. It cannot be the case that someone votes for the GLP and thereby helps an SP candidate in parliament.
Does the advance have a chance?
It is difficult to judge whether my issue can gain a majority, but the fact that its success seems uncertain is no reason not to address a complaint.
And in terms of content? Did everything go perfectly with the FDP?
Naturally, we analyze what substantive errors we may have made. The FDP has set up a working group for this purpose. Without getting ahead of this group: I think that many other parties show more clearly than us the benefits that voters have when they vote for this party. No, all parties show this better than we do.
Is there anything else where the competition is leading the way?
What the other parties are probably also doing better: people withdraw early, and not only at the end of the legislature. In my opinion, this is not ideal because MPs are elected for four years. But if other parties play by these rules, we must do the same if we want to win elections.
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.
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