At the beginning of the Ukraine war, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis made a somewhat bumpy appearance. The Federal Council as a whole is reluctant to fully adopt the EU sanctions against Russia. After a few days, the Federal Council then goes along with it. But Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter made a clear statement a day earlier: “Personally” she advocates stricter measures against Russia.
Keller-Sutter also advanced in early April when she spoke of “war crimes” in connection with the atrocities committed by the Russian army in Bucha. The Federal President had previously condemned the deeds, but spoke of “events” in a trivializing way. Politicians and observers see signs of a rivalry here that has already emerged before. Especially in European politics.
“It is known that there is competition between the two,” says GLP National Councilor Tiana Moser. Central National Councilor Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter believes that this is one of the reasons why the framework agreement failed. “I am convinced that if the Federal Councilors had agreed, they would have managed to get a majority in the Federal Council and get the project off the ground.”
worry about re-election
Political science professor Adrian Vatter also noticed the competition. Concern about re-election in 2023 will certainly play a role, says Vatter. Personally, things don’t seem to work out between the two either. “You get the impression that they don’t have such close ties to each other. And politically they try to talk into each other’s dossiers.” In European politics as well as now in the Ukraine conflict.
Vatter developed a typology of Federal Council members for his book “Der Bundesrat”. «Karin Keller-Sutter is someone with a strong creative drive, she is power-conscious. In that sense she is a regent.” But she can also forge alliances and make compromises – typical features of a concordance politician. Cassis is harder to pin down. “On the one hand he has characteristics of an intellectual, as a doctor he has a scientific approach.” On the other hand, Cassis lacks political instincts – he has the qualities of a “burden bearer”, says Vatter.
“Bad for the country”
Different types like Karin Keller-Sutter or Ignazio Cassis: no problem for National Councilor Eric Nussbaumer (SP/BL). “The crucial point is that they deliver a result together. And if you ask me specifically about the Europe dossier, they simply don’t deliver. It’s bad for the country.”
When will competition and disagreement in the Federal Council become a problem for Adrian Vatter? Constellations like those of the FDP federal councilors are not ideal for the functioning of the state government. “It takes trust, it needs a certain ability to compromise, sometimes it takes the situation that you can stand back.” This is the only way a committee can function in which there is no hierarchical management.