Partners Group founder Alfred Gantner stirs up the EU debate: billionaire plans an initiative against foreign judges

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The spirit is back: Switzerland is once again debating an institutional rapprochement with the European Union. Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis (62) presented the draft negotiating mandate on Friday, inspired by his re-election on Wednesday. He was flanked by Elisabeth Baume-Schneider (59), who moves to the Ministry of the Interior, and Minister of Economic Affairs Guy Parmelin (64).

When the Federal Council buried the framework agreement with the EU on May 26, 2021, the Bernese Euroturbos were in shock. Since Friday they have had momentum, as it is called in modern German, on their side again.

Cassis said 70 bilateral meetings were needed by then. The magic word is now ‘package approach’: new agreements will be made in the areas of electricity, food safety and health, the magistrates are pleased. This also includes an agreement on participation in EU programmes.

The manna for business and research is raining from heaven – let the negotiations begin!

What do we pay for it?

But what is the political price? Of course, regular cohesion contributions to the EU are part of this, but above all a so-called dynamic legal adoption: once agreed, the regulations can change, but Switzerland must adopt them “independently”. And in the event of a dispute? A “mixed committee” in which Switzerland is represented would have to decide.

The next instance would be a so-called equal – that is, balanced – arbitral tribunal. The infamous slogan of the foreign judges still resonates; will the population participate?

Another sensitive point is the EU Citizens’ Directive. EU citizens who have worked in Switzerland for at least five years should have unrestricted access to social assistance. Only if those affected “do not cooperate with the employment agency” may local authorities apply the emergency brake.

Trade unions are critical

There are also concerns about wage protection. Union boss and SP state councilor Pierre-Yves Maillard (55) already calls for improvements in the Blick interview.

In short: a new European confrontation is underway.

A powerful coalition of businesses, universities and cantons is pushing for an agreement. According to Cassis, this should be achieved in less than two years. Associations and organizations such as Progresuisse are already mobilizing for “Bilateral III”. And yet the old attack surfaces are back.

The state government’s advance also breathes new life into the Compass/Europe alliance. While Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis deliberately does not name his new project so as not to burden it politically, the group around Partners Group founder Alfred Gantner (55) calls the Federal Council’s plan “Framework Agreement 2.0”. As a reminder, Gantner and his organization had already successfully challenged the first framework agreement with the EU, which was dissolved on May 26, 2021. Now the politically active entrepreneur is active again. “The architecture is the same again: dynamic legal adoption,” Gantner tells Blick about the proposed solution with the European Union. He ‘fundamentally rejects’ this defined principle and is convinced ‘that it will fail again’. Unlike three years ago, however, the troops do not want to limit it to mere prevention. Gantner: “You can’t always just say no, you have to present a new, rational, success-oriented direction.”

Decision at the ballot box

Gantner & Co. plan a popular initiative. “We will reach people in a new way,” he confirms.

The gist: Sectoral agreements with Brussels while retaining sovereignty, as Kompass/Europe has requested several times. Preparations are still at the beginning. Next week, Kompass/Europe leadership will meet with the Farner agency. The communications company advised Gantner on the opposition to the first framework agreement.

The friends of Europe are getting a boost from the new appointments in the Federal Council: Unlike brakeman Alain Berset (51), the elected SP candidate Beat Jans (59) is a fervent friend of Europe. As chairman of the government of the border canton of Basel, Jans pushed for a better relationship with Brussels at every opportunity: “Business and science urgently need this.” In an “NZZ” interview before his election, he complained that the Federal Council “should have shown more leadership” on the European file. And called for more intensive cooperation between Switzerland and the EU.

This further complicates the situation for the state government: Gantner and his allies have broad support for their positioning — and they have plenty of resources for a campaign. The Federal Council will therefore have to vote again.

As expected, Cassis encounters fundamental resistance from the SVP. Parliamentary group leader Thomas Aeschi (44) is now chairman of the powerful Economic Commission (WAK) in the National Council. He has invited EDA head Cassis to the meeting on February 12, which will have to answer questions on the topics of sovereignty and free movement of people.

Spicy: According to information from Blick, the SVP’s sustainability initiative, a frontal attack on freedom of movement, is on track. The party strategists expect to submit the referendum in the first half of 2024. The Federal Council will probably have to submit its message to parliament in the spring of 2025. And the expected vote on Cassis’ framework agreement 2.0 and the SVP initiative will go to the polls at approximately the same time.

The constellation is also exciting for another reason: With the exception of SVP man Albert Rösti (56), all members of the new Federal Council come from a border canton and have many points of contact with Europe. VBS boss Viola Amherd (61) also discovered the European file.

Amherd wants a strengthened relationship

She even makes it the central theme of her presidential year. Unlike Alain Berset, who flew from Africa to Canada through world history, Amherd will visit European countries in 2024.

And whether during the opening visit to Austria, at the World Economic Forum in Davos GR or at the Munich Security Conference: the Valais woman wants to create a “bella figura” for Europe. “With an orderly and strengthened relationship with the EU, our country will have more room to maneuver and therefore sovereignty,” Amherd said after her election as federal president.

She knows that negotiations with Brussels can be technical and complicated. With charm and clever arguments, Amherd wants to integrate Switzerland more closely into Europe – well-equipped opponents await.

The ghost is back again.

Source:Blick