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Minds on the right are divided over the Limitation Initiative (BGI). On the one hand there are people like Peter Spuhler. As the patron saint of Stadler Rail, the former SVP National Council said: “The initiative is extreme and dangerous for Switzerland as a business location.” On the other side are people like publisher and businessman Roger Köppel. The National SVP Council in Zurich says: “Anyone who has borders as open as ours cannot have such a well-developed social system. It’s like an open refrigerator! “
But how does it look in Aargau? SVP National Council and cantonal president Andreas Glarner asked his party colleagues on the 100-plus cantonal board to hang up posters and fight for a yes. Glarner is also campaigning for the social media capping initiative. But how do the other Aargau Senior Vice President entrepreneurs position themselves?
Why is Knecht not participating
Let’s start with Councilor Hansjörg Knecht. The manager of Knecht Mühle in Leibstadt has clearly positioned himself in the election campaign. It advocates for the cessation of the free movement of people. It is unclear how this would affect its operations. He left unanswered the question of the number of cross-border travelers working for him. In return, however, he reveals why he has been politely repressed lately: “My attitude is not the same as that of the Aargau government. That is why I am not at the forefront in my role as Council of States of the Canton of Aargau. “Aargau first, so to speak, senior vice president second.
Many right-wing entrepreneurs are even more covered than Knecht. Markus Blocher, CEO of pharmaceutical supplier Dottikon ES and son of Senior Vice President’s superfather Christoph Blocher, for example, is not politically active, but he does not hide the fact that he elects Senior Vice President and also comments on policy proposals on a case-by-case basis. For example, he criticized Federal Councilor Doris Leuthard for her energy policy. Regarding the limitation initiative, however, Dottikon ES simply says: “In principle, Dottikon ES does not comment on political issues and Mr. Blocher does not want to make a statement on the BGI vote.”
The exponents of FDP are less restricted than their SVP colleagues
Adrian Schmitter, CEO of Cantonal Hospital Baden and until recently Senior Vice President of Rothrist, no longer wants to comment on political issues. He has retired from politics and does not want to share his private views. It sounds similar to former SVP councilor and recycling entrepreneur Karin Bertschi from Leimbach: “I have retired a bit politically. That is why I will not position myself in this year’s squads. “
Even with the transport company Hans-Jörg Bertschi it is said that he would like to stop answering the questions about the BGI. At the beginning of the year, in the newspaper “Tagesanzeiger”, he strongly opposed the framework agreement with the EU. “The extended clause of the guillotine must go away,” he said at the time. Most experts believe that it would come into play if Switzerland unilaterally terminated the Agreement on the free movement of persons, which in fact would happen if the limitation initiative were accepted.
Interested in good and cheap foreigners
The only contacted Aargau Senior Vice-President businessman taking public office is National Councilor Benjamin Giezendanner. He says: “In the beginning, like any other initiative, I looked at the limitation initiative very critically.” As an entrepreneur, you are interested in getting cheap and good people from abroad to ensure the existence of the company in the face of stiff competition. “But as a citizen I say: ‘It can’t be that more and more are coming, that we have less and less space and that our employees are being pushed into social welfare systems.
He is aware that by saying yes to BGI, from a business perspective, he could cut himself into his own flesh. Despite the free movement of people, he currently complains about the lack of drivers. If the initiative was accepted, this would be tougher. Giezendanner: “In return, the drivers’ salaries could go up again and the job profile would be more attractive for young apprentices. I am also interested as an SME entrepreneur that my drivers do well. So even as a merchant you can vote yes without any guilt. “
Otto H. Suhner, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Brugg Group and a member of the FDP, shows less reluctance than most vice-president businessmen. He is determined to accept the initiative and is committed to it. He does not fear that the skilled worker shortage could worsen as a result. It sounds a bit more defensive with former FDP Grand Councilor Daniel Knecht, like Suhner, to set the right free. The managing director of Knecht Brugg Holding AG says: “The free movement of people will not work in the future. I’m not sure if initiative is the right tool. But we only saw during the pandemic how delicate it can be to move freely across borders. “
The questionnaire includes the national and cantonal staff of Aargau. The Center for Democracy (ZDA) Aarau evaluates the responses as part of its Focus Aargau voting poll, anonymously of course.
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