Livia Leu will be the new ambassador in Berlin

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Livia Leu (62) has had enough. After three years as head of the State Secretariat at the Foreign Office, she is moving to Berlin as ambassador, as confirmed by the Federal Council in a statement. The “Tages-Anzeiger” had already reported on it on Tuesday evening.

Leu has been negotiating a possible framework agreement with the European Union since October 2020. When this failed, Leu prepared the direction of a new negotiating package with the EU. Leu has “contributed significantly to getting talks between Switzerland and the EU back on track,” the statement said.

Leu is leaving the complicated EU dossier “at his own request,” according to a statement. It has been reported for some time that Leu and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis (62) did not always agree on the direction of foreign policy, reports the “Tagesanzeiger”.

Search committee for a successor

Leu will continue to work as State Secretary until the end of August, promising the Bundesrat that talks will not be affected by the change. At the end of June, he wants to decide on the main parameters of a negotiating mandate with the EU. He appoints a selection committee to find a successor.

That there are changes in this position is not unusual: Leu’s successor will be the sixth person in the past ten years to be responsible for the EU dossier. Before Leu, Roberto Balzaretti (58), Yves Rossier (62), Jacques de Watteville (72) and Pascale Baeriswyl (55) held the positions of Chief Negotiator and Chief Negotiator at the EU.

The EU still wants to end the negotiations in the summer of 2024

The European Commission has taken note of the resignation. A spokesperson for the European Commission said this in Brussels on Wednesday. When asked by a journalist whether this change could have a negative effect on the ongoing exploratory talks, the spokesman said it would be up to the Federal Council to decide who should lead the talks on Switzerland’s behalf.

Moreover, there is still some time as Leu will remain in office until the end of August, he said, referring to the next round of exploratory talks on May 30.

“Our goal remains the same,” said the spokesman for the committee. The EU wants to end the exploratory talks as soon as possible and start negotiations. They want to have this completed by the summer of 2024. “We are doing everything we can to complete the process by then,” he said.

Mixed reaction

The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council, Franz Grüter (59, SVP), was surprised by Livia Leu’s resignation on Wednesday. Grüter showed the State Secretary great respect for her work.
“On reflection, however, this is the right time to step down if Ms. Leu wants to leave,” Grüter said. Now a new difficult phase for the EU file can begin with the start of the actual negotiations.

The pressure on the negotiating mandate will remain enormous, even for a new negotiator. He said negotiations would “certainly not progress quickly”. He has great respect for Leu’s work and her realistic assessment. She noticed early on that a framework agreement would not be successful in a referendum.

«PR offensive disappears into thin air»

For SP party chairman Roger Nordmann (50), the resignation comes at an inconvenient time. Nordmann sharply criticizes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The PR offensive of the State Department in recent weeks, according to which progress has been made in the negotiations, thus disappears into nothing,” said Nordmann.

Leu’s resignation is a major failure for the FDFA. “Whenever you are close to a possible outcome in negotiations with the EU, the chief negotiator is replaced,” Nordmann criticized. You will never get results with that.

“politically sensitive”

For the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Council of States, Pirmin Bischof (64), Leu’s resignation comes as a surprise and at a sensitive time. It is a career decision of the Secretary of State.

“The timing of the resignation is politically sensitive,” Bishop said. Leu has one final round of exploratory talks with the EU ahead of her and any negotiations will take place after her move. Bishop described Leu as a stubborn diplomat – which is exactly what this post needs.

For Leu personally, the timing is understandable. She is now 62 years old and has been doing the very strenuous work for three years. “I can imagine that this is the right time for her to change careers,” says Bischof. The position of ambassador in Berlin is also a very attractive position. He does not know who will succeed Leu. He or she would need big shoes.

(brother/SDA)

Source:Blick