The Lobbying in the Federal Parliament is controversial and provides regularly for discussions. The best example is the so-called Kazakhstan’s affair: 2015, FDP national councillor Christa mark Walder of submitted proposal from the pen of a PR Agency came, which had been paid by a Kazakh politician. That initiatives of members of Parliament are formulated by third parties, is not rare. That, however, an autocratic country indirectly influence on the Swiss policy, caused a great outrage.

in Principle each national Council has the right to two external persons for the Federal house to be accredited. This System is not only since of the Kazakhstan affair in the criticism. The non-governmental organisation Transparency International has therefore set itself the aim, to look to the politicians and lobbyists in more detail on the fingers. Today it has published a new report, in the Switzerland get well.

“The Lobbying in Switzerland, has significant shortcomings.”Transparency International

Transparency International has determined on the basis of 65 criteria, such as transparent, integer and accessible to the Lobbying systems in the European countries and institutions. Were analyzed, among other things, the composition of Advisory and expert groups in the Parliament, the disclosure requirements of the Lobbying entity and freedom of information. Best of Slovenia section, the achieved 55 out of a maximum of 100 possible percentage points. Also, the EU Commission is rated as good. Switzerland, however, is only mediocre.

With a total rating of 30 percent, Switzerland is on the eleventh place, and thus even slightly below the average value of the Rankings. It has a significant gap to the five best competitors, the achieved values of 40 percent and more. “Overall, the Lobbying in Switzerland is a significant deficiency. There is a great need for action”, writes Transparency International. So you’ll risk took undemocratic influence and corruption.

Particularly bad, Switzerland performs well in the transparency. Therefore is not enough to understand, who will be taking interests on the Parliament’s influence. Switzerland receives only a rating of 16 percent, the EU average is 25 percent. Also the integrity in this country is insufficient. Especially at the time of registration, disclosure requirements, and rules of conduct for professional lobby glazing, there is a need for improvement. Only when equal access to Switzerland achieved thanks to the legally clearly regulated consultation procedure better values than the European average.

According to Transparency International, is the lack of Swiss values would have been even much lower, if some of the peculiarities of the local policy system would be additionally included in the evaluation. So, in Switzerland – the only country in Europe, no provision for transparency in the policy financing. Members of the Council must not disclose how much they earn due to their vested interests.

in Addition, is not been drawn to a specific Lobbying adoption, such as, for example, in Austria, in Switzerland, as yet, seriously considered. According to Transparency International therefore alarming regularity of cases of problematic behavior to light. In the summer of 2018, for example, documented the “observer” in the case of the BDP national Council of Lorenz Hess, who had at least 20 reportable mandates, of which 11 undeklariert remained – including those of a health insurer, for which the national Council annually a total of about 100’000 Swiss francs to refer to.

the members of The Council have over 2000 commitments to 1700 organizations.

The biggest influence of non-professional lobbyist have from the point of view of Transparency International, therefore, the inside and the lobbyists, but the members of the Council itself. You have a total of over 2000 commitments to 1700 organizations and companies. The average number of seats per MP has increased since the turn of the Millennium, stark and alone, in the period from 2000 to 2011 more than doubled. Today, there are national Council member, on average, eight mandates in the Council of States even ten.

Direct Lobby Connections, there are also over 150 registered groups of Parliamentarians: According to the law, these may not be members, although only members of the Council. According to the report, however, two-thirds of the groups the secretariats of external lobbyists. In the case of groups devoted to specific issues of Federal policy, to a share of around 90 percent.

“Only with clear rules of the trust of the population in the policy can be strengthened.”Martin Hilti, Transparency International Switzerland

“We need to finally clear and effective rules for all actors. Only so delicate influence can be curbed and the trust of the population in the policy to be strengthened,” says Martin Hilti, managing Director of Transparency International Switzerland.

From the abolition of the Lobbying is in the report. “It is important that different groups bring in their attitude to the forthcoming political decisions and influence”, writes Transparency International. “Lobbying is an integral part of a pluralist, liberal democracy.”

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 28.02.2019, 12:22 PM