Sommaruga presidential year: strict rules of the Crown: Sommaruga sees room for families – news

Simonetta Sommaruga’s presidential year was strongly influenced by the crisis of the crown. And now the Federal Council is under pressure again: only 5 people from two households should be allowed to gather together: this Federal Council plan hits families hard. However, Federal President Simonetta Sommaruga also sees room for exceptions for children. He also wants to know French-speaking Switzerland, as he says in the “Rundschau Talk”.

SRF News: A maximum of five people from two households is allowed to meet. Even in the confinement, the state did not impose such drastic regulations on people.

Simonetta Sommaruga: Well, any contact that does not occur is one less risk of infection. But we also say that the limit is increased during the Christmas period. We also have a need to meet people these days. But, sadly, these measures are now necessary to control the numbers.

So in a family of four, only one child can come and play?

We made this decision yesterday, the detailed regulation will arrive on Friday. We will clarify it again, and we will return to examine precisely the question of how to deal with children and up to what age they count as children. If you have children yourself, you know they want to meet. But now people also know what works: many contacts carry a higher risk of infection. Many people have learned that too and are thinking for themselves how to deal with this situation.

Many people are financially affected by these plans and fear for their existence. How do you give these people hope?

I understand the fears of these people. So we don’t want to close completely. It’s always about reducing contacts. Switzerland has already done a lot for people affected by short-time work, loans, and hardship regulations. However, now we want to go back to see what additional help is still possible.

They told people in the spring that we would not let them down. That also applies now, are they going to save the pub and the cultural establishments?

Well, not all companies will be able to continue as before the pandemic. But compared to other countries with massive measures like curfews, the Federal Council has sought a middle ground. We try to do what needs to be done and we really try to offer support. There is no other country in the world that, like us, really made sure that money got to businesses quickly with loans.

Elected MPs who say they don’t stick to Christmas rules. What you think?

I find it difficult to understand, because as a person you also have a role of role model. But everyone should know this for themselves, everyone has a responsibility. It is about understanding why the Federal Council is establishing such rules. There are many deaths and the Federal Council sets the rules to protect people. You have to show solidarity there. But no one will ring the bell and see how many people celebrate together.

The cantons now say that we have taken new measures. And now the Federal Council comes and surpasses us?

It’s more about standardizing the measurements. We spoke with many cantons over the weekend, but we also made it clear to them that we would reassess the situation on Tuesday. But that’s right, for the few cantons that have done little, the screw is now being tightened.

French-speaking Switzerland is particularly dissatisfied. It had a partial closure and now wanted to open. And now the Federal Council is proposing new measures. Can you still reset it?

French-speaking Switzerland was in a very difficult situation and took tough measures. But even there, the numbers are no longer falling ahead of the planned open and stalling at an excessively high level. However, what we will see is that the cantons, which intervened with tough measures from the beginning and were in a difficult economic situation, are now not at a disadvantage when it comes to new aid. This cannot be true.

And in ten days the true partial blockade could arrive. Are they making fun of the cantons?

On the contrary. That is very transparent, we are now planning what will happen if the situation in certain regions dramatically deteriorates again. I think the population expects that too.

Especially commoners have problems with the new measures. It will not be difficult with the current majorities in parliament.

It is the responsibility of the Federal Council for people’s health. You cannot and should not be indifferent to the fact that so many people die. I was in the hospitals, I saw what a death like that means for family members as well. I think we have a responsibility for that and we take it seriously. Of course, we are also responsible for the economy. But now you wait and think that it costs nothing, I think that’s negligence.

With the latest measures, the same “Gstürm” with the cantons, as he called it, is now again as in October. Haven’t you learned anything?

The Federal Council has now shown that it can react quickly. Then he has to endure being criticized from all sides.

The authorizations for the ski areas are from the cantons. Could it be that the federal government has to take the scepter again?

Now we will first see how the new measures work. But now we have to plan ahead so that we don’t have to intervene again with emergency meetings, but we can tell the cantons now what the next stage could be.

Switzerland took a very liberal path in this crisis. One consequence of this is more than 5000 deaths. What you think?

I feel great sadness. It’s crazy when family members can’t even say goodbye to the dying.

As a member of the Federal Council who has chosen the liberal path of Switzerland, are you not also responsible for some of these deaths?

That is the great and heavy responsibility that the Federal Council assumes, but that everyone also shares. The Federal Council can decide on the measures, but we must carry them out together. Together we can make sure that people don’t have to die. All are needed for it. But this responsibility that people die on the one hand, but also that people lose their jobs on the other hand, has given me many sleepless nights this year. We tried to take a middle path, it was not just a liberal path.

The question of political responsibility for the high death toll will be raised.

The road was fine as long as we had few numbers and the Federal Council was taking the basic measures. And as long as the numbers continue to fall, the cantons can define measures. If only individual cantons have a large number, it is difficult to decide on comprehensive measures.

Are you not handing over responsibility for the dead to the cantons?

No, there were constant discussions in the cantonal governments about whether and what measures are appropriate. However, federalism arrangements in the event of a pandemic are demanding. But federalism does not mean that the Federal Council simply does nothing.

In hindsight, was it the right balance between health and economy? Is it still true for you?

When I brought the cantons to Bern in October, I realized that we couldn’t go on like this. Then we take measurements again. Then we did what was possible. Finally, we will have to judge this in hindsight. The Federal Council was certainly not perfect. But he tried to do a lot of things right and find his balance, and we didn’t do too badly. But certainly one or the other could have been done better.

The interview was conducted by Nicole Frank and Dominik Meier.