Despite positive votes: SVP clearly rejects the 13th AHV pension

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The SVP delegates clearly say no to a 13th AHV pension. The popular initiative wants all pensioners to receive a supplement equal to one-twelfth of their annual pension. She does not provide any information about the financing of the 13th monthly pension. The referendum will take place on March 3.

The vote was eagerly awaited: the bourgeois parties rejected the initiative, but it received surprising support in the SVP’s cantonal parties in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino. The SVP Geneva adopted the yes slogan, in Vaud the no vote was limited. The SVP Ticino and Lower Valais spoke out in favor of releasing the votes.

The yes votes on Saturday in Bürglen came from delegates from French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino. Of the dozen or so people who spoke in the discussion, only one was in favor of the referendum: it was Valais national councilor Jean-Luc Addor (USA). Retirees have the right to be happy, he said. The 13th pension helps all retirees living on the edge of poverty.

The federal council members take the floor

The two SVP federal councilors also addressed the delegates during the discussion. Albert Rösti said that a no would be in the interests of medium-sized companies and seniors. Guy Parmelin said the federal government needed to pay more to the AHV and that savings needed to be made elsewhere.

Daniel Lampart, chief economist of the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB), was allowed to speak on behalf of the SVP delegate for the initiative. The population’s financial problems have worsened, including for the middle class for the first time, he said. That’s why people expected politicians to ‘do something for them’.

Extremely expensive

National councilor Diana Gutjahr (TG) represented the no position. She said the 13th pension would cost R5 billion a year and would therefore be extremely expensive, at a time when an aging population was putting financial pressure on the AHV. To finance this, the middle class will be plucked away through higher wage deductions and VAT.

Diego Barrati of the Junge SVP also argued for a no. Even without a 13th pension, the AHV is in trouble. “Don’t be selfish,” he shouted to the delegates, “and don’t think about the young generation.

Yes to the pension initiative

On the other hand, the SVP supports the pension initiative. On Saturday, delegates in Bürglen UR adopted the yes slogan for the Young Liberals referendum with 216 votes in favor, 102 votes in favor and 2 abstentions. They followed the request of the party leadership.

The so-called pension initiative calls for an increase in the retirement age to 66 years in 2033 and then a link between the retirement age and average life expectancy. In this way, the Young Liberals want to ensure that pensions can be secured despite longer life expectancies.

SVP Council Member Thomas de Courten (BL) rejected the initiative, among other things, because of the link with the average age. A professor lives longer than a carpenter, he said. People cannot be expected to work longer to earn a pension as long as Switzerland can spend millions on banks or development aid.

However, Nicole Roth, president of the Junge SVP Baselland, explained that the current pension system is outdated. “If we do nothing, we will see the AHV go bankrupt.” The pension initiative could be the start of a solution.

A yes to the pension initiative is a yes to low taxes, said another younger voter. Former federal councilor Christoph Blocher also promoted the cause. This saves the AHV. The party must show credibility and agree to the initiative, even if it comes from the Young Liberals. (SDA)

Source:Blick