First day, moving moments: This is how Farah Rumy experienced her debut as National Councilor

class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 fmXrkB”>

A gray Monday in Bern, icy cold and inhospitable. Today the newly elected parliament meets for the first time. It is a beautiful day for Farah Rumy (31).

The Solothurn SP politician starts the new legislature as a national councilor. It was shortly before 2pm when she entered the parliament building. As soon as she gets inside, she is already under siege. No wonder: she is young – and the first national councilor with Sri Lankan roots.

Nik Gugger (53), Zurich EPP national councilor, catches up with them on the stairs, asks for a photo together and tells Rumy: “Sri Lanka and India are now taking over the Federal Palace.” Gugger himself has Indian roots.

Enjoy this moment

This is how it continues. Rumy is under siege, a quick photo here, a handshake there, it barely ends. But all in all, Farah Rumy seems effortless. And somehow very satisfied. With yourself and with the world.

“I’m glad it’s starting,” she says. But above all: “Walking into the Chamber of the National Council as an elected National Councilor.” On Sunday she wrote a letter to the retiring SP state councilor of Solothurn, Roberto Zanetti (68). He advised her to enjoy this moment.

Rumy, politician, nurse and vocational school teacher, replaced Franziska Roth (57), who was elected to Solothurn in the second vote in the Council of States.

SP God Mattea

Rumy did not set himself any major goals in the first days and weeks. Her main concern is to become familiar with the processes and dynamics in the group. Her godmother in parliament, SP co-chair Mattea Meyer (36), will support her in this.

Rumy has become closely politically involved since the launch of the healthcare initiative in 2018. She then joined the SP Grenchen, and in the spring of 2021 she will stand for elections for the first time and reach the canton council of Solothurn. Things continued at the same pace, now in the national parliament.

2:30 PM, Rumy officially starts. She rushes to the National Council; after speeches by senior president Gerhard Pfister (61) and the youngest newly elected council member, Katja Riem (26), the first business begins: the establishment and swearing-in of the National Council. Rumy’s father is in the stands, he stays there until the end of the first session day and drives back to Grenchen with his daughter in the evening. Definitely proud.

“Moving moments”

The neo-national councilor sits with her legs crossed and her hands folded in the second back row of the SP faction – next to candidate for the Federal Council Jon Pult (39). He is happy with his new housemate: “I immediately liked Farah – I hope I like her too.”

The sympathy is mutual; Rumy posted a selfie with a desk on Instagram from the National Council Chamber. She will then be sworn in shortly after 3 p.m., take the vows and sing the first verse of the national anthem together with the full Federal Council and the other National Council members.

All together very overwhelming. Rumy: “The audience is impressive, those were very moving moments – for me, for my political career.”

Source:Blick