Mr Altermatt, 1991 they published the first Federal Council lexicon. What has changed in the meantime?
the rise of The SVP was a tectonic change in the political landscape. The 1959-established arithmetic magic formula (two seats each for the FDP, CVP and SP, one for the SVP) was dissolved in consequence of the turn of the Millennium. Then a three Legislatures lasted for restless stage until 2015. Since then, the SVP has two seats, the CVP is only one, this is the new magic formula. The history of the Swiss Federal Council has always be performed in batch mode. This was such a boost.
How does the new magic formula?
the role of The CVP is to become weaker, your hinge position between the left and the right have lost weight. And thus, the chances of a compromise. In the financial policy the CVP has been cooperating more with the Right, in the social policy to the Left.
A new phenomenon, the Non-re-election. What were the consequences of this taboo of 2003 and 2007?
The removal was a violation of a taboo, and it was an expression of the upheavals. For the first time since more than 100 years, the President of the Federal Council were not elected members, first of all, Ruth Metzler, Christoph Blocher. Before that, there was the unwritten, the concordance formula belonging to the law, that de-selecting no Federal councillors, but the persons Concerned and their parties so far, that you withdraw from yourself. So was the case of Marcel Pilet-Golaz, in 1944, or in the case of Elisabeth Kopp in 1989. Now it will be the seventh Federal Council always get in the debates. If the Greens win in the fall of 2019, you may collect a claim on a Federal Council seat. Such a seat could lead the liberals to a seat loss.
today, The Federal Council is considered the leadership to be weak. The published framework agreement, he has not taken a position. How do you see that?
In fact, the Federal Council expressed a clear recommendation – what are you as a Manager can evaluate. However, the Situation is more complex. Ignazio Cassis, and Doris Leuthard were the Only ones in the Federation Council, standing at the back of the framework agreement. The SP-Federal councillors were opposed to those of the SVP, anyway, and it is understood that the Minister of economic Affairs Johann Schneider-Ammann, has rejected the agreement at the end. We are in Switzerland before the Federal elections, and the Department of foreign Affairs had in the last ten years, and no charismatic leadership. For me, as a historian, it is noteworthy that the Minister of the economy, broke formation. In the past were Foreign and economic Department of the Europe question mostly agree.
About Moritz Leuenberger, the Federal Council of the lexicon, the Tidal changes of 1989 have allowed that “other persons” could reach into the Federal Council. Leuenberger was a product of 1989?
Moritz Leuenberger is until now the only Alt-68er, was the Federal Council. He was, however, mainly because of its parliamentary investigation Commission (PUK) in the case of Elisabeth Kopp. This has given him a certain reputation.
The former FDP-President Franz Steinegger has been prevented as the Federal Council, because he was not married. Today, this is unthinkable.
Federal Council elections are always a mirror of society. You can see the history of Switzerland based on the environmental policy. Or on the basis of the figures in the Federal Council. Today, there are no rigid rules, as a Federal Council to be or to live. There are also new training courses in the Federal Council. Early members were mostly lawyers. Today, Viola Amherd is the only lawyer, and the defense Department takes over, instead of the justice Department, what would be logical. In addition, she is a woman. However, in half of Europe, women defence Ministers are not, we are here so special.
The Federal Council of the lexicon, edited by Urs Altermatt, NZZ Libro 2019, 760 pages, 98 Swiss francs (editor-in-Tamedia)
Created: 23.01.2019, 06:31 PM
