Business and progress: extraordinary crown session in Bern

Federal Council statement on the crown pandemic on Monday: the topics for the session

The extraordinary session on the crown crisis is just around the corner. Why Parliament meets again, how much the session costs and what is being discussed.

Starting next week, Switzerland will once again have a parliament that wants to weigh in and make a decision. The 200 national councilors and 46 councilors They were called to pack and travel to Bern the next weekend.

The topics that will be on the agenda are controversial. It is about billions of francs and the economic existence of many people in Switzerland. Last but not least, it is also about the separation of powers, a cornerstone of democracy. The crisis session will go down in history as a historic “crown session”.

Will open Monday at 10 a.m. at the National Council “Declaration of the Federal Council on the Crown Pandemic”. President Simonetta Sommaruga will deliver the speech. The state government uses this medium in connection with wars, most recently in 2003 due to the Iraq crisis, as confirmed by Speaker of Parliament Mark Stucki.

We explain the most important points extraordinary session The article will be continuously updated. *

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It’s about billions

Federal Council proposals

The crown crisis will be the dominant theme: it will be a session worth billions: Parliament must be on the side of it Wearing the army crown, also several Supplemental loans approve This refers to all those expenses that the Federal Council decided to support the economy. This money has to be pronounced by parliament, that is, as “subsequent spending” in the state budget, hence the name.

The amounts are huge: 41 billion francs should be just Corona Corporate Loans to be provided There should be another six billion for short-term work and 5.3 billion for replacement earnings. These contributions must be indisputable. Funds for him will also cause discussions. Cultureas well as the acquisition of Masks and fans – There are requests for cuts.

Motions of Parliament

The commissions The National Council and the Council of States have presented a number of their own proposals in recent days. These do not automatically end on the agenda. The law requires that the Federal Council an answer it must yield to these proposals (motion, postulate, interpellation) before they can be presented to Parliament.

The state government hit the gas and gave on Friday Before the session, he gave his opinion on 40 advances. A section:

• Day care centers: The federal government is also supposed to make money available for supplemental child care. This is what the two educational commissions require. The Federal Council rejects these proposals.
• Humanitarian aid and asylum: CHF 100 million is required for three international organizations. In addition, the Federal Council should campaign for the distribution of refugees on the Greek islands. Both approaches stand a good chance: the government recommends them for adoption.
• Rental: SMEs want to help with two things: On the one hand, certain companies should only pay 30 percent of the rent, and a “lease exemption system” is required. The Federal Council rejects both proposals, but supports a third lawsuit regarding payment periods.
• Crown loans: Several proposals require the zero percent interest rate and the extension of the repayment period for Corona loans. The Federal Council does not believe in these ideas: it recommends rejecting them. Businesses, on the other hand, can hope that they no longer have to include the loan as “debt” on their books.
• Media: The Keystone-SDA news agency and newspaper delivery must provide immediate assistance. 30 million Swiss francs are also required for regional television and radio stations. The Federal Council rejects both proposals.
• Speculators during the crown crisis: Businesses that have to apply for short-term jobs were also required to be unable to pay dividends. Furthermore, companies should not be allowed to apply for multiple corona support grants. The Federal Council rejects both proposals.

Why is a crown session needed?

Switzerland is in an exceptional situation. The Federal Council is governed solely by the “emergency law” since March 16. Individual liberties were restricted by ordinances, the economy was paralyzed to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The Federal Council as the sole “crisis manager” can be efficient, but the constitution and separation of powers require that Parliament can also have an opinion. This is in order to “make a constitutional contribution to overcome the crisis.”

The Federal Council and 28 members of the Council of States see it that way. Both have end of March Call for an extraordinary session. Lawsuits This now takes place in the first week of May.

Where do parliamentarians meet and how much does it cost

It has long been clear that Parliament is not in the Federal building can strike The venerable council rooms, where people’s representatives sit together for hours, are not suitable for “social distancing.”

Then where? The search was not easy. Parliamentary services received four offers, and the decision was made in early April. BernExpo at Guisanplatz in the federal city. Cost: around 3.4 million Swiss francs under the current budget, of which “less than a million” is rented.

Construction and wiring have been going on there for four days. The effort is enormous. A functioning parliament needs not only tables and chairs, but also translation, transcription and administration services.

Incidentally, it is not uncommon for Parliament to meet outside the Federal Parliament: 1993, 2001 and 2006 each had one Session “Extra Walls” (outside the walls). During these years, the Bundeshaus was renovated and the meetings were relocated to Italian, French and Roman-Roman-speaking Switzerland.

* Updates: List of responses received added (May 1). Updated agenda list and supplemented by a statement from the Federal Council (May 1).