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SP federal councilor Alain Berset (48) wants to take precautions for the festive season with stricter measures. You’re not just planning capacity limits on the ski slopes and limited Christmas parties. No, Berset wants to go further and make the recommendation of the central office of the federal government a must.
Employers must ensure that their employees “fulfill their work obligations as far from home as possible” by Jan. 20, according to the latest draft of the Crown Ordinance, which is available to SEE. To do this, they would have to take “the appropriate organizational and technical measures.”
It’s the second try
Berset is putting on the table exactly the same wording as in October, when he wanted to anchor the obligation. In his explanations at the time, he made it clear: “The home office is no longer just a recommendation from the BAG, but there is now an obligation to work from home, to the extent that this is operationally possible.”
At the time he was still held back by his middle-class government colleagues. Now try again. Because the current development of corona case numbers is not at all satisfactory. Looking ahead to the Christmas and New Year holidays, the numbers should drop further, according to the federal government.
Berset also pats the fingers of the cantons
In this context, Berset claps the fingers of those cantons that shine with lax measures. In federal Bern it is an open secret that cantons such as Zurich, St. Gallen or Aargau Berset are a thorn in the side because they hardly move during the crisis. In particular, the relationship between the Federal Council of the SP and Zurich is tense, especially because with the director of Justice Jacqueline Fehr (57) and the director of Security Mario Fehr (62), two comrades, among all things, repeatedly disagree .
Until now, Berset has left it up to the cantons to adopt stricter cantonal measures, for example closing bars or earlier curfew. The current regulation uses the phrase “may”.
“Can” becomes “must”
But now Berset is setting rebellious cantons on fire. “The canton will take additional measures if …” is the new wording of the draft ordinance, which is practically an obligation.
Consequently, the cantons must take additional measures if the epidemiological situation in the canton worsens, taking as indicators the incidence value, the number of new infections, the rate of positivity in tests or the occupation of hospitals. And even if contact tracing is no longer guaranteed, as it partially happened in recent weeks, the cantons must act and, for example, issue a partial block, which several cantons have already done.
“Berset puts pressure on the cantons”
For a government adviser involved in the file, it is clear: “Berset is exerting more pressure on those cantons in which events are going in the wrong direction.” Just look at the reproduction value to find out which cantons Berset is targeting. Solothurn, Thurgau, Schwyz and Aargau would be needed (in these the R value is slightly above 1), which means that the number of new infections is increasing. This is shown in the figures from an ETH monitoring as of November 21.
In other cantons, the R-value is close to 1, for example in St. Gallen, Graubünden (0.98 each) and Zurich (0.97). The national R-value is 0.89, that is, 100 people infected with corona infect an average of 89 people.
Criticism of the attempt to print
However, Berset’s attempt to print is not well received everywhere. Criticisms are also reportedly voiced in the cantons’ summary statement. Critics complain that cantons can assess the local situation themselves. Berset’s specifications are evaluated by them as “unnecessary”.
If necessary, he has a sharper weapon up his sleeve. In an earlier discussion paper, the Federal Council left open the option of taking “additional measures in a locally restricted canton or region”, that is, issuing partial blocks themselves if the cantons do not act on their own. However, that would be the last ratio: Berset should, however, be careful not to inadvertently damage the relationship between the federal government and the cantons.
