FDP chairman Filippo Leutenegger of Zurich: “I don’t expect any love from politicians”

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Filippo Leutenegger, city councilor and now also chairman of the FDP Zurich: Is your double mandate a man’s disease?
Filippo Leutenegger: I hadn’t noticed that before. Usually women do two or three jobs at the same time.

What can you do that others cannot?
I have no idea what the others can’t do. I can only talk about myself: I am resilient and have a lot of energy. I can deal with defeat and am resilient.

Where does your resilience come from?
Don’t know. I was often seen on television and was a living person. So performing doesn’t really stress me out.

What about your age? You’re already 71.
For many people, age has the disadvantage that you no longer like things. That is not yet the case with me. Those who have also been consistent gain credibility as they get older. However, I wasn’t sure if my party saw it that way.

What do you mean?
The time between the announcement of my candidacy for the presidency of the FDP Zurich and the elections was very stressful for me.

Have you asked yourself if you are popular enough?
No, I don’t need love. I want to achieve goals. I want to help strengthen Switzerland’s liberal base again.

But it feels nice to be loved, right? They received three-quarters of the votes.
I don’t expect love from politicians. I have that in the family, which is my top priority. But of course: the fact that I achieved such a good result with Vice President Raffaela Fehr and Vice President Matthias Müller as a team of three is a sign of confidence and gives us a good foundation.

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Do you have too little work as a municipal councilor?
Since 2018, I have headed the school and sports department of the city of Zurich. In the beginning, I certainly wouldn’t have been able to fulfill a second position.

And now the store is running?
He’s certainly doing well. Day schools have been introduced in Zurich and I am very happy with how things are going now.

What about the conflict of interest between your two offices?
If there is a municipal decision that is directly aimed at the canton, the principle of collegiality applies. I also have the vice presidency for such a cause.

The FDP came under fire in the elections for the Federal Council. There was talk that Karin Keller-Sutter and Ignazio Cassis would now have to defend their seats until they no longer had a pulse.
This is polemical. All members of the Federal Council always face re-elections with an uncertain outcome.

Do you hold both positions until you no longer have a pulse?
I will certainly complete these legislative periods, that is, two or four years. And then we look further.

Is the FDP Switzerland doing so poorly because the FDP Zurich is doing poorly?
In any case, the FDP Zurich is a large and important department. And we have to do better – voilà.

What is the mood within the FDP Zurich on a scale of 1 to 10?
Despite some problems, surprisingly good.

Is called?
I really thought it would be harder. Hopefully the new management will create even more of a good atmosphere. Anyway, as an ‘old party’ we need the young people. We have many members, are extremely organized, now we need the strength of the boys and women. My job is to put them into play.

And take yourself out of the game at some point?
Yes of course. I no longer need to become a National Councilor or Federal Councilor (laughs).

What do you want to achieve with the FDP?
I fight for freedom and the opportunity for human development and respect for individual achievement. Unfortunately, we are increasingly constrained by government regulations that threaten our economic success and long-term prosperity.

Surely regulations – for example to protect the climate – make sense?
Clearly. But as many regulations and taxes as possible do not lead to better environmental protection. We already have such a dense set of rules – some of which contradict each other – that we have to ask ourselves: what is really important? The screw is tightened everywhere. An example is housing.

What’s with it?
If immigration remains this high, we need to be able to build more housing! The left wants rent caps and a right of first refusal for the state. These are simply not suitable means.

On the other hand, do you want to build and expand Switzerland even further?
We have to decide: either we build more or we control immigration, but that is a national issue.

As a politician, you have been worrying about problems for decades. Are you an optimist?
Absolute. I find the cultural pessimism of some people a shame, who even refrain from having children because they see the end of the world in front of them.

What successes will your generation leave behind for your children and grandchildren?
Several generations in Switzerland have achieved incredible stability and prosperity that is widespread. And our dual education system with vocational training: fantastic!

What failures is your generation leaving behind?
Loneliness is a serious problem in our society. Almost half of the apartments in cities consist of single households. Many of us have everything, can afford everything – and therefore hardly need any help from the people around us. I deliberately live in a settlement with families and a daycare center. That’s a great attitude to life.

What bothers you about Switzerland?
I would like to see the achievements of individuals better rewarded by society. I’m not talking about exorbitant manager salaries, but everyone who makes money through their own efforts pays our taxes. That’s not a bad thing! The banks are not exactly popular in the city of Zurich. But they pay almost half of all corporate taxes, more than 400 million per year.

How do you deal with money yourself?
If I do something stupid with my own money, I quickly forget about it. But I am very responsible and careful with the money entrusted to me by the state.

I hope so!
Unfortunately, this sobriety is not always well received.

What kind of nonsense have you done with your own money? Bitcoin?
No no. In the past I also founded a new company in addition to my company, but nothing came of it. Entrepreneurial risk.

How do you want to get the FDP on the road to success?
With a turnaround: the turnaround from negative to positive.

Where do you get the energy from?
I’m just happy, a social person. The best thing is when I can be with my family, my five children and two grandchildren and my partner. When I have had a whole day and can cook in the evening, I calm down and invite my employees and directors to my house for Christmas dinner.

What are you serving?
Risotto or pasta. Al dente of course!

And the next day you go to the gym?
No, I’m running. I often leave my electric Vespa behind and just walk around the city.

They founded the “Arena”. Do you still watch the political show?
Seldom. I’m interested in the “Arena” to get to know the new faces. But I need less information than before to know what’s going on and what drives someone.

An advantage of age?
The experience.

You’re a liberal. Did you resist rules as a child?
I was always a freedom-loving person, even as a student.

So you’ve been talking a lot?
Naturally.

Source:Blick