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Politics is human. That in itself is nothing special, especially since our laws are not made by robots. However, what happened last week in the venerable National Council Chamber far exceeds the day-to-day animosity — and will probably go down in federal parliament history as one of the crazier episodes.
The scene was the FDP faction. Members may have been surprised at the start of the spring meeting when they noticed the sudden castling: Bernese deputy Christa Markwalder (47) had left her seat and was sitting a row away. From now on she will sit next to St. Gallen Marcel Dobler (42). Philippe Nantermod (38) from Valais took Markwalder’s previous seat.
Allies in the Europe dossier
The maneuver sealed the rift between two old companions: as SonntagsBlick could discover, Markwalder could no longer sit next to Doris Fiala (66).
The Bernese and the Zurich resident had been neighbors in the council chamber for five and a half years and political friends for much longer. In some files, no sheet of paper fits in between.
They fought side by side for equality and social issues, they wiped each other’s tears after the end of the EU Framework Agreement on May 26, 2021. “They sit next to each other in the National Council and understand each other blindly, so to speak. , despite their 20-year age difference,” enthused the SRF tabloid show “Faces & Stories” in November 2021.
First disturbances in the Zurich election campaign
The arrangement of seats in Parliament is a matter for the political groups. Speculation abounds as to the reason for Markwalder’s action, which one would have expected more in an elementary school classroom than in the nation’s top legislature. In the immediate vicinity of the parliamentary party, the failed political ambitions of Markwalder’s husband Peter Grünenfelder (55) would have played an important role.
The head of the think tank Avenir Suisse ran for a seat on the Zurich government council on 12 February, but missed out on the nomination after an aggressive and correspondingly controversial campaign. According to reports, the Markwalder-Grünenfelder couple’s frustration runs deep; for her, the non-election must have brought back memories of her two failed attempts to make the jump to the Council of States.
Perhaps the anger hits Fiala mainly because the first differences with the former comrade-in-arms came to light during Grünenfelder’s election campaign. Fiala was one of the early sponsors of Grünenfelder’s political career, inviting him to speak at European events and lobbying the Zurich FDP for his nomination.
But his boldness with positions that at times seemed libertarian didn’t fit the profile of the conciliatory Zurich communications consultant; the head of the think tank offended many in his own camp with his salvos against the incumbents.
The liberal economic director Carmen Walker Späh (65) also fell into Grünenfelder’s crosshairs – she was once encouraged by Fiala to enter politics and is still regarded as a close confidante of the National Council.
Both will retire in the fall
The result: Grünenfelder’s former political foster mother courted Walker Späh, but was conspicuously absent from his support committee – instead championing testimony in favor of Social Democratic rival Jacqueline Fehr (59). Fiala explains her support to Culture Minister Fehr with her office as president of the industry association Pro Cinema.
For Markwalder, however, that is no reason for clemency, on the contrary: true to the motto “enemy, mortal enemy, party friend” she accused Fiala in her anger in the lobby last week of being behind a critical SonntagsBlick article about her. man’s campaign style, which Fiala rightly denies.
When asked, the Zurich woman remained silent and did not comment on internal affairs. Also Markwalder says, “No comment.” In any case, they have one thing in common: both women have declared that they will no longer participate in the autumn elections.
Do you have any clues for explosive stories? Write to us: [email protected]
Do you have any clues for explosive stories? Write to us: [email protected]
Source:Blick
I am Liam Livingstone and I work in a news website. My main job is to write articles for the 24 Instant News. My specialty is covering politics and current affairs, which I’m passionate about. I have worked in this field for more than 5 years now and it’s been an amazing journey. With each passing day, my knowledge increases as well as my experience of the world we live in today.
