New corona measures: the virus is pushing federalism to the limit – news

Just last Friday the Federal Council gave an ultimatum to the “carefree” cantons. The fact that he appears before the media on Tuesday and announces another package of measures should not have been planned.

Two reasons have led the Federal Council to take this energetic approach: It is unlikely that the discussions between the Federal President and the Minister of Health with the cantons over the past three days have always been satisfactory for Sommaruga and Berset.

Y: The epidemiological situation has worsened again. Last Friday it seemed that the number of infections would stabilize at a high level, now we have to talk about a further increase in the numbers. So exactly the scenario Berset had warned about on Friday.

Federalism is reaching its limits

New on Tuesday night was that the Federal Council openly communicated the package of measures before handing it over to the cantons for consultation. That can only mean: Berset and Sommaruga want to pass this package on Friday, regardless of what the cantons say.

Although the special situation according to the Epidemic Law gives the Federal Council this competence (it has to listen to the cantons, but does not necessarily have to take their opinion into account), it continues to scratch the federal principles and customs. But that probably makes sense, because the past few weeks have shown that the speed and unpredictability of the virus are pushing federalism to its limits.

Consultation of the cantons only pro forma

After all, the Federal Council is adorning its planned package of measures with two “little gifts”: a sweet one, in the sense that it wants to verify financial compensation for the worst-hit industries even before the package is approved. A bitter one, in the sense that it is already informing the cantons of what the next steps will be if the situation worsens even more. What the Federal Council is selling here as “planning security” is nothing more than the claim that cantons should, at best, be heard pro forma in the next step. Which means that the special location is actually only pro forma.

If this gets the epidemiological situation back under control in the coming weeks, and perhaps even before the holiday season, only the hardened Federalists will be upset.

Urs Leuthard

Head of the television department of the Bundeshaus SRF

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Urs Leuthard has been head of the Bundeshaus editorial team at SRF television since the summer of 2020. Since 2002 he has moderated the “voting study” and analyzes elections and voting. Until 2008 he was moderator and editor-in-chief of the “Arena”, after which he moved to the “Rundschau”, before in 2012 he assumed the editorial direction of the “Tagesschau”. Since 2016, Urs Leuthard has been in charge of newsroom development at SRF Television.