Also Alain Berset (50) will not appear at the Albisgüetli conference of the Zurich SVP on January 20 this year. On Saturday, Berset’s department confirmed same-day media reports upon request. As early as 2018, in Berset’s first year as president, the Freiburger did not appear in Zurich’s Schützenhaus.
The FPS Home Affairs has not given any reason for Berset’s cancellation. However, it confirmed that Berset had been invited. The SVP traditionally invites the incumbent Federal President. The program of this year’s Albisgüetli conference now includes speeches by former Federal Councilor Christoph Blocher (82) and new SVP Federal Councilor Albert Rösti (55).
Last year, then Federal President Ignazio Cassis (61, FDP) spoke at the party congress of the Zurich SVP. In 2021, the then Federal President Guy Parmelin (63, SVP) appeared. In 2020, then Federal President Simonetta Sommaruga (62, SP) also donated a basket to SVP Zurich. However, in 2015, in her first year as president, Sommaruga was still performing at the Albisgüetli. (SDA/kae)