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The center met for a delegate meeting. Party leader Pfister sent words of warning to the FDP federal councilors.
Center President Gerhard Pfister has warned the two FDP federal councilors against “ruthless power politics”. If both stand for re-election, they would have to distance themselves from the “bloc politics” of the right-wing camp in the future. Pfister made this clear to the centrist delegates in Thun/BE.
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The FDP Federal Councilors must handle power more responsibly, said Mitte President Gerhard Pfister at the delegates’ meeting.
Keystone / PETER SCHNEIDER
The “right-wing pole” in the Federal Council will be even less legitimate after the 2023 elections than before. The claim of the left pole to three seats in the state government would be just as presumptuous. If the number of seats in the federal councils were anything to go by, the FDP would no longer be able to propose both federal councilors for re-election.
Pfister emphasizes electoral success
However, his party will not vote out members of the Federal Council “out of respect for the institutions”. It is all the more important that Ignazio Cassis and Karin Keller-Sutter in their office “take responsibility for the overall well-being of the entire population and not, together with the SVP representatives, exercise the simple power logic of a right-wing majority bloc.” Pfister received spontaneous applause from the delegates.
In the National Council elections in October, the center achieved a voter share of 14.1 percent. This is an excellent result, said Pfister. The CVP and BDP have so far had a combined 13.8 percent.
Twice no to the AHV and pension initiative
The center delegates also formulated the slogans for the two popular initiatives, which will be voted on on March 3, 2024.
With 161 votes to 17, the party voted no to the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB) initiative “For a better life in old age”. It requires a 13th month pension for AHV recipients. Before discussing an expansion of the AHV, existing disadvantages must be eliminated, it was said at the delegate meeting. The initiative launched by the center, which calls for fair pensions for married couples, is particularly suitable for this.
With 134 votes to 42, the delegates rejected the Young Liberals’ pension initiative. It requires that the retirement age be linked to average life expectancy.