The chairs in the small room are so controversial

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In Zurich, five national councilors and one municipal councilor have so far expressed their interest in succeeding FDP member of the Council of States Ruedi Noser. And his seat will probably be the primary concern. Because it is almost certain that former Daniel Jositsch will be able to defend his place – despite the controversial candidacy for the Federal Council last fall, political scientist Nenad Stojanovic said in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency.

According to him, the FDP certainly has a chance to assert itself with Regine Sauter. But a lot depends on a possible second vote. Because if Jositsch were elected on the first ballot, the leftist vote could very well have shifted to GLP candidate Tiana Angelina Moser. This with the aim of preventing the FDP candidate.

Who follows Knecht im Aargau?

Also in the canton of Aargau, the political scientist believes that the former Thierry Burkart should easily be re-elected because of his reputation as party chairman of the FDP. And so the remaining seven candidates are probably competing for the one seat in the Council of States that will become vacant after the resignation of Hansjörg Knecht from the SVP.

SVP National Councilor Benjamin Giezendanner will defend his seat. But the competition is cutthroat: Stojanovic is giving center representative Marianne Binder-Keller election chances. Because if only Burkart were picked in the first round, Binder would certainly be an option for certain leftists to ward off the SVP candidate. Much depends on whether the SP and the Greens nominate their own candidates Gabriela Suter and Irène Kälin again in a possible second ballot.

In Bern there is a duel between red and green

In Bern, the starting position is even more explosive: Stojanovic thinks that the former Werner Salzmann of the SVP should be re-elected without any problems. Because his party traditionally has a Bernese seat in the small chamber. After the resignation of SP veteran Hans Stöckli and the candidacy of Groene Bernhard Pulver, the SP has to worry about their representation.

Stojanovic expects an exciting race in the left camp. Flavia Wasserfallen has a good chance of being chosen. She is nationally known as a member of the National Council and was also traded last fall as a possible candidate for the Bundesrat.

But former government councilor Bernhard Pulver is popular with the population and makes a comfortable impression, says Stojanovic. With him, the Greens could definitively conquer the seat of the Council of States. It will be exciting to see if and how the SP and the Greens coordinate in a possible second vote or fight each other instead.

Two free places in Vaud

In the canton of Solothurn, national councilor Franziska Roth wants to defend the seat of the outgoing Roberto Zanetti for the SP. But that shouldn’t be easy, says Stojanovic. Because the down-to-earth Zanetti was popular across party lines and also managed to win over certain centre-right voters. Roth should be able to do that too.

Much depends on how the votes are divided between the FDP and the SVP. Because Pirmin Bischof is again a candidate for the center party and his chances of re-election are good according to Stojanovic, a possible second vote should be all the more exciting.

In Vaud, the only canton in Switzerland, both representatives – FDP man Olivier Français and the Green Adèle Thorens – announced their resignation from the Stöckli. Former government councilor Pascal Broulis wants to defend the seat of the Council of States for the FDP. National Councilor Raphaël Manaim represents the Greens. This is on the same list as SP heavyweight and national councilor Pierre-Yves Maillard.

However, given the fame and experience of the federation’s president, Stojanovic thinks it virtually impossible that another left-wing candidate could be stronger than Maillard. From 2007 to 2015, two left-wing councilors represented Vaud. But this time Stojanovic does not believe in such a scenario. Broulis is too strong a candidate for that. (SDA)

Source:Blick