They still exist, the friends of the constitution. But the critics of the Covid measures are counted. Since the autumn, the board consists of only three members – according to the articles of association there should be at least five.
Thus, the friends of the constitution cannot act, no new projects may be launched before the general meeting in May. However, there can be no signs of dissolution, says co-chairman Roland Bühlmann: “We are still here, we will not run out of work.”
The club made the decision last August to fight against the Covid law for the third time. After parliament approved the extension of individual measures to combat the pandemic until the end of 2024, the friends of the constitution started the referendum.
When the time comes, voters will likely vote in June at the polls on a proposal that has been in effect since January 1. For Nicolas Rimoldi, the co-chair of the referendum commission, this is a “democratic scandal”.
The counter currently stands at 4374 signatures. It should be 50,000 in two months. In the summer of 2021, during the second referendum, 190,000 signatures were collected in three weeks. This time it will be more difficult. No wonder: Corona is no longer one of the top five fears in the CS worry barometer, masks have become a slow seller, millions of doses for the booster vaccine have to be destroyed due to lack of demand, while memories of the lockdown gradually fade.
Wrong adress
One reason for the false start, however, is self-made. The Friends of the Constitution printed 100,000 sheets of signatures with the address “No measures, 3000 Bern”. A club address that, according to Post spokesperson Stefan Dauner, simply does not exist. The association had deposited the address “Friends of the Constitution, 3000 Bern” on September 6, 2022. Dauner: “The postmen didn’t know where to send these sheets.” According to Nicolas Rimoldi, hundreds of bows have been lost in this way.
Constitution friend Roland Bühlmann speaks of an “annoying misunderstanding”. He had appeared several times in this case at the post office, at the counter or by telephone. First there were promises, then denials. Despite the “cabaret” with the post, Bühlmann is confident that he will be able to present the 50,000 signatures in time. “The sword of Damocles of the Covid certificate still hangs over society.”
Campaign professional Daniel Graf considers it likely that the Swiss will vote for the third time on Covid measures: “You should not write off the friends of the constitution prematurely.” The society probably has more than 100,000 mailing addresses and has the resources to run the nationwide mail service and – when things get tight – send out paid signature collectors. Experience shows that it is difficult to start a referendum in the Christmas and New Year period. “I do not rule out that the campaign will only really start in the coming weeks.”
Will it work the third time?
Whether the Friends of the Constitution will be successful at the ballot box on the third attempt is an entirely different question. “Many people are simply done with the subject,” says political scientist Cloé Jans of the GFS research institute. “After two lost votes you could also say: enough is enough now.” The Swiss are much more concerned with the future of energy.
For a while it looked as if groups such as Mass-Voll or the Friends of the Constitution could shake up the party system, says Jans. “Today we know: nothing will come of it.”