Campaign against violence stalls: rebellion against Keller-Sutter’s austerity plans

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The austerity plans of Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter (59) are causing a stir. Even before the first prevention campaign against violence has been implemented, the Federal Council wants to stop it again.

SP state councilor Tamara Funiciello (33) does not want to let this pass. In Switzerland, a femicide takes place every two weeks, and there are more than 50 registered cases of domestic violence every day, she says. Something needs to be done about this urgently. “The Federal Council must finally take control of the money.” With a petition and an open letter, the SP is now putting pressure on parliament to reverse the decision of the Federal Council.

The goal: prevent domestic and sexual violence

As for X, Keller-Sutter’s finance department dismissed the outrage as “fake news.” However, research shows that the Federal Council has actually rejected the request of the Ministry of the Interior to make more than one million francs available for a prevention campaign.

The Federal Council campaigned for the measure last year. He had recommended suitable proposals from Funiciello, the Valais centrist councilor Marianne Maret (65) and FDP national councilor Jacqueline de Quattro (63) for acceptance. The councils followed the Federal Council and last year – with a clear majority – gave the green light for regular prevention campaigns. Just as the federal government has been carrying out AIDS prevention work for decades, a campaign against domestic, sexual and gender-based violence must now be launched.

The finance department defends itself

Keller-Sutter’s finance department is defending itself against claims that it has cut costs. But the protest is hardly understandable. And the reference that the federal government makes three million francs available annually for violence prevention campaigns and that no cuts will be made to this budget is incorrect.

Because: This money is not used for our own campaigns, but goes to organizations and cantons. Berset explicitly said in the parliamentary debate that extra budget was needed for legal reasons for a prevention campaign that the federal government itself was organizing. “Another 1.5 to 2 million francs would be needed,” he stressed. This amount must be included in the federal budget. The financial plan that Keller-Sutter has now presented is not yet the budget, but it is a basis for it. Ultimately, Parliament decides how much money is spent.

“You’re saving in the wrong place”

The Ministry of Finance also states that departments have “a certain degree of flexibility in project financing” within their budgets. This means: the money for the campaign can also be diverted elsewhere. However, that is not realistic.

The SP demands at least three million francs for the campaigns; this is the only way to make a difference. The current decision is devastating. And Keller-Sutter’s party colleague Jacqueline de Quattro (63) also criticizes the austerity plans: “Certainly, the financial situation is not rosy. But here you are saving money in the wrong place,” she says. Violence is becoming an increasing problem in society and therefore a large-scale prevention campaign is urgently needed. “Ultimately, this is not a cost item, but an investment in the future.”

Source:Blick