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A few days before the cantonal elections, Aargau’s senior vice president is shaken by a discussion of internal style. The result of the polls sends a national signal.
Due to his provocations, National Councilor Andreas Glarner is under pressure in his native canton of Aargau.
One year after the National Council elections there will be the first big trial election. On Sunday October 18, Aargau, the fourth largest canton in terms of population, appointed a new government and parliament. The focus is on one part: the SVP, hitherto the dominant force. With almost 32 percent of the vote, it is almost double that of the SP as the second largest party.
The SVP has lost its aura of invincibility since the National Council elections at the latest. The conclusion was that the Popular Party lost 6.5 percentage points and had to give up one of its seven seats on October 20, 2019. The rise of the vice-presidency in the course of the European debate seems to have ended for the moment. The omens for next Sunday look bad.
“Certain exponents lack decency”
The Aargau section cannot escape the national downward trend of the parent party. Therefore, Sunday’s election also has a national test character. It would be amazing if the SVP could slow down its descent into the Aargau fortress, of all places.
In addition to the mobilization problems that manifest themselves at the national level, there are also household difficulties. These are mainly related to the name Andreas Glarner. In January this year, the delegates surprisingly elected the Oberwil-Lieli National Council, well known throughout Switzerland, as chair of the cantonal party. This, although the provocative character of the politician was well known. At least since Glarner discredited his colleague in the national council Sibel Arslan (Greens, Basel-Stadt) in front of the cameras as “Frau Arschlan” in the fall session, some party members have wondered if their choice has made them a disservice.
Until recently, no one dared to express this idea openly, but since last week an internal SVP-style discussion has been raging in Aargau. Without mentioning Andreas Glarner’s name, Barbara Borer-Mathys published a statement in the “Aargauer Zeitung”. In it, the SVP president of the Kulm district complained about the poor state of her party. “Respect for those who think differently is the oil in the gears of coexistence. Our senior vice president sometimes loses that, ”writes Borer-Mathys. He further states: “It is true, certain exponents lack decency.” He closes his text with the words: “We have to do an overhaul on our SVP gearbox and probably also replace some rusty, worn and superfluous parts.”
Borer-Mathys’s words certainly carry weight within the party, as he presides over the district in which the SVP traditionally performs best. To some extent, the lawyer grew up at the kitchen table with the SVP ideology, as her father Hans Ulrich was a member of the National Council and chaired the cantonal party. More SVP is almost impossible.
Andreas Glarner does not want to comment on his party colleague’s statements to NZZ. “I can only say something that Ms. Borer-Mathys is the only district president who has not sought a personal conversation with me.” He is convinced that the style discussion will not harm the SVP and has set himself the goal of maintaining 45 seats in the Grand Council and 37 percent of the vote.
The SVP has not been without personal altercations in the past legislature. Franziska Roth, who was elected to the government with high hopes in 2016, was responsible for this. After problems accumulated in the health directorate that she headed, the SVP magistrate and her party dissolved. A little later, Roth resigned as a councilor. When a replacement election became necessary, the SVP was able to defend its seat with Jean-Pierre Gallati.
Green against red, woman against man
Like his middle-class government colleagues Alex Hürzeler (svp.), Stephan Attiger (fdp.) And Markus Dieth (cvp.), Gallati can look forward to Sunday’s elections in a relaxed manner. His re-election is considered practically certain. On the other hand, there is an interesting mourning for the vacant post of the SP government adviser, Urs Hofmann. The Social Democrats are trying to defend their long-standing presence in the executive with Dieter Egli. Christiane Guyer challenges the 50-year-old co-chair of the SP’s parliamentary group. The 57-year-old Zofingen councilor wants to ensure that the Aargau government does not remain a purely male body. Observers hope there will not be a decision on the left seat in the first vote. The second vote is scheduled for November 29.
