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Since the end of February, the Federal Council has had a committee of experts at its side during the Corona crisis: the Corona Task Force, which meets daily. This should advise the federal government, no more, no less. But many members of the working group do not refrain from criticizing the decisions made by the authorities. State government decisions are also repeatedly discussed with skepticism in official statements.
This is often poorly received by the federal government. Finance Minister Ueli Maurer (69), for example, recently made headlines when he scolded experts at an SVP delegate assembly: As soon as the Federal Council’s decisions were communicated, they would be criticized again.
Federal councilors want a muzzle
And Maurer is not the only magistrate who is upset. BLICK knows that the critical voices in the Federal Council are getting louder. Some federal advisers would like to see the experts gagged: They should focus on advising the federal government and remain silent in public.
Not just because individual members of the task force don’t stray from the spotlight. But also because each recommendation is public, some of the members even contradict each other, and in the end the population remains confused due to this cacophony of different opinions.
The mandate provides clear guidelines
Under the mandate, the task force is tasked with supporting the office and the Federal Council with “independent scientific expertise”. But the mandate also contains clear guidelines for communication. Only the chair, currently Martin Ackermann, can speak on behalf of the working group.
All others are free to express their opinion, but are not allowed to do so on behalf of the working group, which must also be “clearly stated”. And: If a recommendation could have an impact on the decisions of the Federal Council, these can only be published after the decision.
“Leadership is missing”
Experts also criticize the role of the working group. Health attorney Christoph A. Zenger told CH Media that meaningful communication between authorities is impossible because individual members continue to leave their mark with demands about what should be done. “The working group lacks leadership and its tasks and communication methods are not regulated. The federal government should compensate for that immediately. “
The ball would then be with the Minister of Health, Alain Berset (48). Because even if the task force likes to act as the “federal expert,” it only has an advisory mandate from the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG). There you block. The group’s ratings flow into the analyzes, so a spokesperson. “We do not want to comment on your communication.”
The task force is said to have praised the improvement
Even on Berset’s staff, no one wants to hear public criticism. “The Scientific Working Group offers important advice and basic work,” says spokesman Peter Lauener. But the criticism from the Federal Council had reached the working group, as she admits: “As she herself has determined, communication has not worked so well in recent days and they are improving.”
