The Swiss Minister of the Interior and designated Federal President, Alain Berset, is intercepted by the French air police as a private pilot on a trip to France. “A private matter,” says his spokesman. Once again.
Soft spot for aviation: Minister of the Interior Alain Berset at Rega.
On Tuesday, the second day of the Lugano conference, Alain Berset flew to France. Not as a passenger on the Federal Council jet, not as a passenger on a private plane. Alain Berset, the multilingual, piano-playing former elite athlete, also holds a private pilot’s license. No one knows whether the Federal Council wanted to eat snails somewhere or visit a friend. It’s also not a public concern.
«C’est une affaire privée!» was the first thing Berset’s spokesman exclaimed when asked about his boss’s antics. And he’s right. Members of the state government also have a right to excursions.
The trouble with Berset’s private affairs is that they tend to have political consequences. That was the case when it became known in November 2020 that Berset had been blackmailed by a former lover, and it should be the same this time. Because today’s Minister of the Interior and next President of the Swiss Confederation did not only fly to France. There, various sources say, he entered restricted airspace over an air force base. The French air police intercepted him and forced him to land: an incident that would normally concern the French judiciary. The Federal Department of Home Affairs confirms the incident in principle, but says there is no procedure.
The affairs of Monsieur Berset would provide enough material for a mini-series on Netflix. Part I: The Mistress and the Blackmail. Part II: The Right Hand and the Indiscretions. Part III: The Flight and the French Air Police. But Alain Berset, the jack of all trades, is also a good poker player. To date, no affair has stuck with him. When he appeared in front of the media for the first time after the extortion affair became known, he didn’t change his face. He spoke of “a private matter that happened in a private setting” and then went on to the actual topic of the press conference: the policy of measures. And you asked yourself: Does the man have no nerves?
Four weeks ago, Berset parted ways with his right-hand man, Peter Lauener, who has been head of communications for many years. Lauener was involved in criminal proceedings for breach of official secrecy in connection with the crypto affair. Over the weekend it became known that Lauener had to be held in custody for a few days in connection with indiscretions. That cost him his job.
Lauener was more than a media spokesman. He was a shrewd strategist and a loyal companion to his master. He was there when Berset flirted with his beloved while visiting an embassy in an exotic country. Lauener said nothing. In Bern they called him Tigrillos Schatten. El Tigrillo was the name Berset used in the amorous chats with his lover.
Berset could not hold Lauener. The right-hand man of a Federal Councilor must not be involved in criminal proceedings. But Berset said goodbye to his longtime faithful with a remarkably cool media release. In an indirect quote, he thanked him for “the close cooperation and wished him every success in his future career”. And you asked yourself: Does the man have no sympathy?
And now another affair. Perhaps Berset, who was under enormous stress during the pandemic, recently lost a confidante and has to fear for the AHV revision, just wanted to let off some air. Maybe he was distracted. Maybe he didn’t prepare enough for the flight. Maybe he didn’t take the French seriously. And you ask yourself: Does the man have too much pressure?