Merger idea shakes up GLP and Mitte: “We certainly will not allow ourselves to be swallowed up”

But how sensible would a merger be, apart from the power question? For Kern, both parties also fit together culturally and substantively because they complement each other. You can see it like this. However, the GLP is more left than center when it comes to environmental and socio-political issues, and the two parties do not always have the same platform when it comes to agricultural and transport policies.

But the question then is: what profile should such a party have? Even in economic and financial policy, where both things work in the same way, the devil is in the details: the GLP has long been fighting for individual taxation, while the center is strictly against it.

“That is his right”

In fact, in such a scenario, the GLP, which is less than twenty years old, would simply be swallowed up by the center with its more than century-old history. The interview is not particularly well received in the GLP. Many people are irritated that Kern, a well-known member of the party, is proposing its dissolution.

GLP boss Jürg Grossen (54) is more diplomatic: “As a representative of the business community, Kern is right to think this way.” He is proud that there are such strong and modern business representatives in the party. But: “We will certainly not allow ourselves to be swallowed up.”

They work ‘well’ with the center, and an important thing they have in common is that both parties pursue a solution-oriented policy. But: “The GLP is a progressive center party, the center is conservative,” Grossen continued.

Moser received a basket from the middle

Center chairman Gerhard Pfister (61), who has emphasized since the elections that there is now a strong political center in addition to the left and right poles, does not want to comment on possible merger ideas. In any case, the center sweeps all such plans off the table – at least publicly. Center faction leader Philipp Matthias Bregy (45) simply says: “Kern’s statements show one thing above all: the economy has realized that a strong center is essential.” The middle offers a hand for this.

Although there is still plenty of room for improvement. The state of cooperation between the two center parties is only evident from the fact that the new Zurich GLP councilor Tiana Angelina Moser (44) was rejected by the center councilors: she wanted to join the center group. Now she is politicizing together with the Greens.

Wednesday is the next test for the new friendship. The GLP will then keep a close eye on whether its candidate for Chancellor Viktor Rossi (55) is supported by the center.