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It has been known for two months that Green Party President Balthasar Glättli is stepping down in April. Many potential candidates are still holding back in the search for his successor. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, many Greens are intensively campaigning for the voted-out Geneva Councilor of States Lisa Mazzone.
Greens interested in running for the party presidency can apply until the beginning of February. Nobody has officially done this yet. Many Greens say they are examining this option, including Zurich’s Marionna Schlatter and Federal Council candidate Gerhard Andrey.
Many in the party would like to have a woman at the top, at least as part of a co-presidium. Quite a few also want to better integrate French-speaking Switzerland. Because a relatively large part of the group comes from there.
A dream solution for many
Nicolas Walder from Geneva and Raphaël Mahaim from Vaud are therefore mentioned again and again. Although both express interest, they hesitate. Lisa Mazzone may also be the reason for this. The 35-year-old from Geneva is considered an exceptional political talent within the party. But in the fall, Mazzone was voted out of the Council of States.
She is an exceptionally good politician who could be a rarity in Switzerland.
Nevertheless, she is being courted intensively, as conversations with Greens at federal and cantonal levels show. Nicolas Walder says openly that he probably won’t run for office if she runs for office – not out of fear, but because Mazzone would be a dream solution for many Greens.
A big supporter of Lisa Mazzone is Sibel Arslan from Basel. She too could imagine the presidency, but Mazzone would prefer her there. “She is an extraordinarily good politician who could be a rarity in Switzerland.” Quick at political analysis, multilingual and able to forge majorities for green causes. The party needs to retain such talent, says Arslan.
Legend:
Lisa Mazzone has had a steep career. In eight years she managed to make the jump from the local council to the Geneva Grand Council and the National Council to the Council of States.
Keystone/ANTHONY ANEX
No mandate in Bern? Not really an option, just…
However, party presidents without a mandate in Bern are unusual. It takes more effort to stay on top of the dossiers and maintain media presence. Mazzone would not be able to have a say in the commissions and would have no speaking time in parliament. Normally not an option, but with Mazzone it could work, was the tenor of the Greens, who responded to a request.
“Lisa Mazzone is absolutely conceivable for me,” says Raphaël Mahaim from Vaud. Ticino National Councilor Greta Gysin also says that it doesn’t make it any easier if you, as president, are not in parliament. But it is not fundamentally impossible. “Despite certain disadvantages and difficulties, it would not be a problem for Mazzone.”
A long commitment
The great support for Mazzone’s candidacy, despite her election defeat and even before she has declared her candidacy, shows the status she enjoys in her party. People trust her to be able to turn things around after her election defeat, including from outside. A party without a Federal Council seat in particular could be able to carry out the work in the sections, i.e. the political groundwork, even with a president outside the Federal Palace.
However: Mazzone would be making a long-term commitment to the office. If she is re-elected to the National Council in four years, she will remain in politics until 2031. But does she want that, so soon after she was voted out? Mazzone did not respond to requests from SRF. But those around her say that the Geneva woman is thinking about exactly these things. The Green Party’s meeting of delegates will make a final decision on the Presidium at the beginning of April.