John Dupraz is now crying in his cell phone. So outraged he is. “ Still ? You ask if we support Maudet still ? Damn it!”

John Dupraz is 73 years old, farmer retired, almost 40 years he has committed to the Geneva Radical, was a member from 1995 to 2007, the national Council. He has experienced a lot in politics. But now he has the impression that perhaps the most important battle for him and his party has only just begun. That the future of perhaps the greatest political talent that brought Geneva in this century.

“We support the Pierre Maudet always” Dupraz so in his phone, so loud that the noise from the Street disappear in the Background. “Not yet! Always! Toujours!” It is a true vow. And it is a threat. Is Maudet forced to resign, it could prevent the Geneva FDP apart.

Almost two weeks have passed since Petra Gössi, President of the FDP Switzerland, said in the Federal house: “Pierre, the values of the FDP has entered Maudet with feet.” In these words, all with an inflection of what was to come in the last few months about Maudet to light: the paid luxury trip to Abu Dhabi, the year-long lie about the identity of the generous donor, the supposedly black campaign funds for Maudet, and the allegations of tax evasion.

“The base has to be able to tell me if she is disappointed.”Pierre Maudet

Unanimously called on the national party Board of the Geneva Council of state, his government office. The Geneva FDP-tip has recommended him this time also.

Maudet, However, the former FDP-Star and Almost-the Federal Council, all of the cold. “The Only thing that matters for me is the base,” he said last week in Bern, when he left the crisis meeting of the liberal democratic party in Switzerland by the back exit. “The base has to be able to tell me if she is disappointed.”

A “political charade,”

Maudet hopes for the for the 15. January continued the extraordinary GM of the FDP, Geneva. Several Hundred party members are expected to attend. Forecasts of the output are virtually impossible. So clearly, the FDP has very Elite against Maudet, so decided the other behind him. People like John Dupraz.

For him, the advocate-General, the affair is a political charade. Exaggerated, hypocritical, and transparent. Yes, says Dupraz, the trip to Abu Dhabi was a stupidity. But Maudet have recognized. And he had not stolen. “Other than the expenses of knights in the Geneva city government has a taxpayer advocate-General cost nothing. Nobody came to harm.”

Video – FDP Geneva, calls for the advocate-General to resign to

And the lies of the politician? Maudet was not the first politician to lie, says Dupraz. All of the activities. “That Maudet has lied, doesn’t make him a dishonest man.” All the liberals in his village were of this opinion, he says. “We are on the 15th. January defend.”

acknowledged As Maudet last spring publicly that he had lied about the invitation to Abu Dhabi, handle Natacha Buffet Desfayes to the phone and wrote him an angry email: What is this? Why weren’t you honest? What have you got to hide? You have been Betorder disappointed, she says. “I was faced with the question: Should I drop him or believe in him?”

Natacha Buffet Desfayes, city of Geneva member of Parliament, knows Maudet, personally, since they are pulled together in 2011 for the Radicals in the election campaign. He had been at the time, an extraordinary politician, committed, single-minded, more convincing than all the others, she says. However, as he had been elected in 2012 in the cantonal government, have cooled their relationship. “I was increasingly under the impression that Pierre lost the respect of too many people.” So strong Maudet, as a politician, wanting him, possibly, to empathy and social intelligence.

“It Geneva, cares, nobody, what is the FDP Switzerland”: Natacha Buffet Desfayes, City of Geneva parliamentarian. Photo: Olivier Vogelsang

Today, she judged him differently. Maudet have changed in the last few months. “He’s not the same Old. He is humble, more open, become more accessible. He has become more Mature. The question is whether he can stay to prove it to the people.”

the national FDP has asked advocate-General to resign, Buffet Desfayes “bizarre”. She compares the Situation with a Grandfather who has never cared for his grandson, but suddenly rules. “Fortunately, it takes care of, in Geneva, anyone, what is the FDP Switzerland,” she says. “Some members of our cantonal party probably know who Petra Gössi”.

Only when Maudet will be condemned for tax evasion or corruption, whether it is for you to a lot, so the Buffet Desfayes. “My confidence is damaged, but not broken,” she says. “I want to believe that there is an explanation for all of this. There must be an explanation.”

concern for democracy

but There are also the other, the defending Maudet now. Those without special personal relationship to him. Without the Party card of the FDP. Francis Waldvogel around interfere out of concern for democracy. Penultimate week, he has denounced the “hunt” in the Geneva media. The principles of law would be undermined. Since then, he has received several negative e-Mails. “But I don’t care,” says forest and bird.

Francis Waldvogel (80), Professor of medicine, is a capacity of the Swiss science. 1995 Minister Ruth Dreifuss asked him inside to take on the Bureau of the ETH Board. After nine years of forest bird gave the task for reasons of age. The experience of that time shapes Maudet his attitude in the affair. The Wind in the media and politics can turn very quickly, says forest and bird. “Maudet is not an isolated case. Merkel, Churchill, Francois Mitterrand, and you have made all the mistakes, and you had to stand up for it.” It is crucial that the separation of powers will also be defended in times of crisis. Political error the people must, for legal error, there was the justice. “However, this separation no longer applies to Maudet. Although there is not even an indictment against him, you have beaten the presumption of innocence are long gone in the Wind.” Francis Waldvogel but Maudet also a clear red line for Pierre: “If he is convicted, I expect that he makes the logical decision and resign.”

“For Pierre Maudet, the presumption of innocence no longer applies.” Francis Waldvogel, Professor Of Medicine. Photo: Olivier Vogelsang

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 09.12.2018, 23:42 Uhr