Swiss politics

I have explained to you before how certain things work in Swiss politics, like that the president is in "power" for one year or that the ministers get elected by the Parliament.

Well, the Parliament (both chambers) is having a legislative period of 4 years and then the members have to stand up for election again. Last month we had this election.

You also know that I have been complaining about the strongest party in Switzerland, the "Swiss People's Party SVP".

It is a right wing party, very far right and to me almost extreme right. They are narrowsighted. And there is a cleavage within this party. The Zurich branch are extremely hardliners, whilst the Berne branch are more concilliant.

Now, during this election, the SVP lost seats. They are though still the strongest party. The lost seats went mainly to

"The Citizen's Democratic Party BDP". This party was created in 2008 by members of the SVP who got sick and tired from the Zurich branch dictature. And they were able to bring in our actual Finance Minister. Who, most probably, will loose her seat in December when the new Parliament elects the ministers. Because the BDP is not one of the big parties (3 of them) who can claim two minister seats.

So, from January next year, the new legislative period of 4 years will start with a new parliament and a new government. Where SVP will be a member.

I do not have much sympathies for the SVP and I said that many times. They do, even though they are the strongest, not represent what Switzerland really is. A country that opens to the world inspite of SVP's effort to keep us locked in the Alps.

I don't like their leaders either. Except one.

Oskar Freysinger from the Valais branch of the party. He has only one problem: He is in the wrong party :-)

But he is honest and he stands to his word. He does not turn around according to which way the wind blows. In forum discussions he remains straight forward (though defending the wrong position of SVP), making his point, listens to his contrahents and accepts their arguments.

He is a decent man, the SVP does not have many of them.