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The influence of business associations on referendums is decreasing. Economiesuisse wants to take countermeasures.
The defeat of bourgeois parties and business associations was devastating. On March 3rd, the population clearly said yes to the left-wing initiative for a 13th AHV pension. The warnings from the economy seemingly went unheeded. This defeat is representative of the fact that business associations have found it much more difficult to get their arguments through in recent years than before.
It was similar when the ballot box voted yes to the initiative for a tobacco advertising ban. While the left can celebrate, the business associations often suffer bitter defeats.
Business has lost veto power, particularly when it comes to popular initiatives. In previous years, a popular yes despite Economiesuisse’s no slogans was extremely rare, but in recent years this has happened more and more frequently.
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Economiesuisse emphasizes the importance of companies
In this situation, Economiesuisse wants to get closer to the population again. The economic umbrella organization is currently looking for ambassadors on social media LinkedIn and X who will advocate for the economy in public.
“I believe that people are not sufficiently aware of what the economy achieves and what the contribution of the economy and Swiss companies is to the prosperity in our country,” emphasizes Economiesuisse director Monika Rühl. «We have a very high level of employment. Almost everyone has a job. And many of these jobs are created by Swiss companies.”
The reputation of entrepreneurs in Switzerland has suffered somewhat in recent years.
Entrepreneurs like Raphael Tobler should bring this achievement back to the fore. Tobler is an entrepreneur and president of the Swiss Start-up Association – and also serves as an ambassador for Economiesuisse.
“The reputation of entrepreneurs has suffered a bit in Switzerland in recent years. Or maybe it became a little less important because people think jobs are just there,” says Tobler. But it is important to show that entrepreneurs take on important functions: among other things, they create jobs and train apprentices.
700 ambassadors should do it
Economiesuisse has been building up a large “ambassador team” for some time. Since the project was launched in summer 2022, 700 people have agreed to give the economy a face on a voluntary basis. Nevertheless, there was hardly any sign of this, especially before and during the important AHV vote. So are the ambassadors a blunt weapon?
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Economiesuisse director Monika Rühl is satisfied with the ambassador project. It is important to show people what the economy is doing.
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Monika Rühl counters: “It’s not a blunt weapon at all. This is a network that is currently being built. We are very proud that we have already convinced 700 people. There should be many more.” The Economiesuisse director is pleased with the effect, but she says: “There is still a lot of work ahead of us.”
The no campaign to the health initiatives is currently underway, co-financed by business. According to financial control, Economiesuisse is betting over a million francs in the voting campaign against the premium relief initiative and the cost brake initiative a. Will the business ambassadors be able to do more on June 9th?