Rightwing backs all-or-nothing election strategy

The People's Party president, Ueli Maurer, spoke to an audience of over 500 on Saturday Keystone Archive

Members of the Swiss People’s Party are standing firm behind their party’s threat to withdraw from government if their figurehead, Christoph Blocher, does not win a cabinet seat in upcoming elections.

At a conference in Sempach on Saturday, 449 delegates came out in favour of pulling out of the seven-strong cabinet if the rightwing party’s demands for a second voice in government are not met.

Seven opposed the threat, while 57 abstained.

“We can only take responsibility in government when the most capable representatives from our party are in the cabinet,” said Christoph Mörgeli from the Zurich People’s Party faction.

Mörgeli, a key strategist for Blocher, said it was unacceptable to participate in government if the strength of the party is not fairly represented.

Last month the People’s Party gained the largest share of the vote in general elections.

Boos and jeers

The chapters representing canton Bern and Graubünden came out against the opposition threat, which brought jeers from the crowd.

“We cannot imagine being in the opposition,” said Hermann Weyeneth, head of canton Bern’s wing of the People’s Party.

In his speech Weyeneth said the party should wait for the outcome of the election before making any political decisions.

He said he hoped the Christian Democrats would recognise defeat and hand over one of their cabinet seats if the People’s Party does not win the votes needed for a second seat.

“There was a time when elected officials had the decency to voluntarily give up their positions in order to adapt to a new political landscapes,” Weyenth said.

His own man

Samuel Schmid – who is the party’s only representative in government – is standing for election alongside Blocher on December 10.

Schmid maintains that he will decide for himself whether to stand down if the party fails in its bid for a second seat.

A second cabinet seat, if granted, would come at the expense of one of the other three parties in government.

Such a move would change the so-called “Magic Formula”, a power-sharing arrangement dating back to 1959 that gives the Social Democrats, the Radicals and the Christian Democrats two seats each, and one for the People’s Party.

At the time of the agreement, the People’s Party was the smallest of the four parties in government.

In October the party won 26.6 per cent of the popular vote, and gained an extra 11 seats in the House of Representatives, taking its tally to 55.

swissinfo

Key facts

449 delegates voted in favour of pulling out of government if Blocher is not given a second seat.
Seven opposed, 57 abstained.
The chapters representing canton Bern and Graubünden oppose such a move.
In October elections, the party won 26 per cent of the popular vote.