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Successor to Ueli Maurer – SVP parliamentary group leader Aeschi waives his candidacy for the Federal Council – News

19 October 2022

The Zug SVP National Councilor Thomas Aeschi does not want to succeed Ueli Maurer in the Federal Council.
The 43-year-old prefers to remain the leader of the SVP faction, as he announced to various media.

Aeschi, who was already an official Federal Council candidate to succeed Federal Councilor Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf in 2015, but was defeated by his party colleague Guy Parmelin at the time, has been the SVP parliamentary group leader since 2017. He really enjoys this work and would like to continue it in the years to come. Therefore, he will not stand in the upcoming Federal Council elections, Aeschi told the central Swiss radio stations Central and Sunshine and the “Blick”.

Finance director Heinz Tännler from the canton of Zug has already thrown his hat into the ring for the Maurer successor. Aeschi praised the 62-year-old government councilor to the radio stations as a “doer” and called Tännler “incredibly competent” in financial policy. The decision not to apply for the Federal Council office was made for himself, said Aeschi.

Legend:

No second attempt: Thomas Aeschi does not want to succeed Ueli Maurer.

Keystone/PETER KLAUNZER

He bears a great deal of responsibility for the SVP parliamentary group and, as a captain, cannot suddenly leave the ship. Aeschi has been a member of the National Council and a management consultant since 2011.

Two from Central Switzerland

After Aeschi’s rejection, there are initially five applications for the vacant SVP Federal Council seat. In addition to Tännler, the Bernese National Councilor Albert Rösti, the Bernese Councilor of States Werner Salzmann, the Nidwalden government councilor Michèle Blöchliger and Zurich’s Hans-Ueli Vogt have announced their candidacy so far.

Blöchliger has already made headlines because she denied her British citizenship on Monday and still had to admit it on Tuesday due to media reports. The SVP had been critical of dual citizens in the past. On December 7, the Federal Assembly will elect the successor to Finance Minister Ueli Maurer.

These politicians want to succeed Maurer

Mason's name tag.

Who follows Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer?

The cantonal parties can nominate their candidates to succeed Maurer by the end of the week. Then there is a choice within SVP Switzerland. The by-election will then take place on December 7, 2022.

Keystone/Peter Klaunzer

Portrait of Albert Roesti

Crown favorite: Albert Rösti

The Bern National Council and former President of SVP Switzerland wants to become a member of the Federal Council and has announced its candidacy to the media. The 55-year-old holds a PhD in agronomy and has been a member of the National Council since 2011.

Keystone / ENNIO LEANZA

Hans Ueli Vogt.

Candidate: Hans-Ueli Vogt

Hans-Ueli Vogt represented the SVP in the National Council from 2015 to 2021 before resigning. Now he wants to succeed Ueli Maurer. The 52-year-old is a professor of private and business law.

Keystone/Peter Klaunzer

Portrait of Bloechliger

Candidate: Michèle Blöchliger

The almost 55-year-old finance director of the canton of Nidwalden has announced her candidacy. The SVP politician is the second candidate from Central Switzerland and would be the first member of the Nidwalden Federal Council. She is also the first woman to enter the race. Blöchliger is a lawyer and has worked in law firms and for large banks.

Keystone/Archive/URS FLUEELER

Candidate: Werner Salzmann

The Bernese SVP Council of States wants to become the Federal Councilor. He announced his candidacy on Nau.ch. He studied the requirement profile and came to the conclusion that he fulfilled it. The 59-year-old chief tax expert of the tax administration of the canton of Bern has been a member of the Council of States since 2019, before that he was a member of the National Council during one legislature.

Candidate: Heinz Tännler

The Zug SVP finance director Heinz Tännler announced in “Switzerland at the weekend” that he wanted to run for the seat of the Federal Council.

Keystone/Urs Flueeler

Celine Amaudruz

In conversation: Celine Amaudruz

The 43-year-old Geneva National Councilor Céline Amaudruz was previously considered a possible candidate for the Federal Council. However, there is a suspicion that they could claim the seat of Guy Parmelin from Vaud. According to SVP party leader Marco Chiesa, a successor to Maurer will “certainly” come from German-speaking Switzerland.

Jean Pierre Gallati

In conversation: Jean-Pierre Gallati

The Aargau health director Jean-Pierre Gallati was also mentioned in the media as a possible candidate. The 56-year-old lawyer was briefly a member of the National Council between December 2019 and March 2020. He then took over the government seat from Franziska Roth in Aargau. He initially did not comment on a possible candidacy.

A picture of Thomas Aeschi in the National Council

Waiver: Thomas Aeschi

The SVP parliamentary group president has represented the canton of Zug in the National Council since 2011. Aeschi is one of the so-called hardliners. He was a candidate for the Federal Council in 2015, but the United Federal Assembly voted in favor of Guy Parmelin at the time. Now he doesn’t try again.

Keystone / ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE

Portrait of Natalie Rickli.

Waiver: Natalie Rickli

The Zurich health director could have become the first SVP woman in the state government to be recognized by the party. But Rickli decided not to run. The head of the Zurich Health Department tweeted that the population should continue to be able to rely on an excellent healthcare system.

Keystone / Ennio Leanza

Portrait of Magdalena Martullo Blocher

Waiver: Magdalena Martullo-Blocher

The entrepreneur and National Councilor (Canton Graubünden) is not a woman of soft tones and could inherit her father in the Federal Council. However: Magdalena Martullo-Blocher has already announced that she will not make herself available as a successor.

Keystone / ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE

Portrait of Esther Friedli

Waiver: Esther Friedli

St. Gallen National Councilor Esther Friedli was one of the favorites for the office, but decided against running for office. She now wants to take the vacant seat of SP man Paul Rechsteiner in the Council of States. 45-year-old Esther Friedli has been a member of the National Council since 2019 and is a partner of former SVP President Toni Brunner.

Keystone / PETER KLAUNZER

Waiver: Thomas Matter

The 56-year-old Zurich SVP National Councilor has decided not to run for the Federal Council. He had held talks with the cantonal party. In the end, however, he justified his rejection in the “NZZ” with his work as a banker and family entrepreneur. It is “not that important” for him that Maurer’s successor also comes from Zurich.

Portrait of Toni Bruner

Waiver: Toni Brunner

The SVP would like to see him as a member of the Federal Council. Since Toni Brunner ended his political career at the end of 2018, things have been rather quiet about the long-standing SVP President (2008-2016). Toggenburg’s happy nature has definitely ruled out a candidacy to the “NZZ am Sonntag”.

Keystone / STEFFEN SCHMIDT

Portrait of Gregor Rutz.

Waiver: Gregor Rutz

The experienced Zurich National Councilor and former Secretary General of the SVP is less present in public than behind the scenes. Gregor Rutz politicizes clearly along party lines. He has since announced that he will not run for office.

Keystone / ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE

Diana Gutjahr in Parliament.

Waiver: Diana Gutjahr

The Thurgau SVP national councilor and entrepreneur Diana Gutjahr is currently not available for the Federal Council office. New opportunities must always be compatible with the current phase of life, the 38-year-old told the Keystone-SDA news agency. “As a ‘fresh mom’, this would not fit into my current phase of life.”

Keystone/Alessandro della Valle

Close-up of Monika Ruegger speaking.

picture
17 / 17

Waiver: Monika Rüegger

The Obwalden SVP national councilor does not want to succeed Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer, as she announced on October 13 via Twitter. She would like to continue to represent the interests of Obwalden “with clear bourgeois politics” in Bern and have time for her family in addition to working in Parliament.

Keystone/PETER SCHNEIDER