The SP is simmering before the Federal Council elections: The party leadership only wants to propose women to Parliament as possible successors to Federal Councilor Simonetta Sommaruga. This is not only well received in the party. Councilor of States Daniel Jositsch, who is said to have ambitions for the Federal Council, even speaks of discrimination. To what extent does the image of the SP suffer from these discussions?
SRF News: Since Simonetta Sommaruga’s resignation, the SP has been making headlines every day – even a wild candidacy by Daniel Jositsch is brought into play. How bad is that for the party?
Reto Mitteregger: At least it doesn’t help much at the moment. Of course, to the outside world it looks like a split, or at least it sounds like quarrels within the party. Of course, that doesn’t help the party. If you compare it with the SVP: You seem almost calm with your candidacy. We shall see whether this restlessness actually damages the SP.
The SP repeatedly discusses such directional decisions.
So one shouldn’t overestimate the extent of this conflict?
There are voices that support Daniel Jositsch’s ambitions – outside the SP, but also within the party. However, it is probably a minority that supports the candidacy at the moment and would do so if Jositsch ran for election. This split, if you want to call it that, should not be overestimated at this point in time.
It’s not the first time that the SP has made such a directional decision. So are such conflicts typical of the party?
In any case, you can see them again and again: think of the canton of Zurich, where government councilor Mario Fehr demonstratively left the party. Also think of Chantal Galladé, who switched to the Green Liberals. Or to Daniel Jositsch himself, who is known as the leader of the reform wing, to which Sommaruga belonged at times. The SP always has to discuss and wrestle with directional disputes or directional decisions. That’s part of the party’s DNA, you could say. That didn’t always help her. But, to emphasize this again: These discussions should not be overestimated at this point in time either. As the examples show, they have always been there.
Legend:
A wild candidate? Daniel Jositsch has invited to an eagerly awaited media event for Tuesday. However, the SP leadership wants to propose an all-women ticket to Parliament to succeed Simonetta Sommaruga.
KEYSTONE/Peter Schneider
Certain media are reporting on a conflict that is tearing the SP apart. Would you agree with that? Or to put it another way: How divided is the SP before the Federal Council election?
It’s definitely not a tear. And I also believe that the word division has to be put in quotation marks. The party and parliamentary group are relatively closed. Also more closed than expected when the new management duo was elected. These disputes in the party are part of social democracy, not only in Switzerland but also throughout Europe.
One should not overestimate this division.
One should not overestimate this internal division. But you shouldn’t just sweep them away either. There is an existing debate about the direction of the party. And if the possible candidacy of Daniel Jositsch also shows something, then that the SP in this rather middle-positioned profile, which Daniel Jositsch would represent, does not seem to be politicizing.
Vera Deragisch conducted the conversation.