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From a purely legal point of view, you would be entitled to a retirement pension totaling 2.77 million Swiss francs retroactively. Former federal councilor Christoph Blocher (80) is still convinced of this. And that is also determined by the now final decision. “That was also assured me in writing by the Federal Chancellery in 2008,” he says. And yet: Dean SVP gives up going to court and therefore a good 1.6 million francs.
Blocher, who served in state government from 2003 to 2007, caused a sensation last summer because 13 years later he suddenly demanded the pensions he was entitled to, which he has waived to this day. Y: The Federal Council actually approved the billionaire’s application first.
“I have never waived the legal right, but only the annual payment,” Blocher emphasizes to VIEW. Only in retrospect was it determined that a five-year statute of limitations applies to deferred payment.
“I didn’t want to waste time or energy on that.”
After a veto from the finance delegation, the state government backed down in October. It decided that subsequent payment of pensions to magistrates should be limited to five years. In the specific case, that meant: Blocher should receive only 1.1 million instead of the required 2.77 million francs. The former Federal Council did not rule out legal action against the government at the time.
But now he refrains from doing so. “I didn’t want to waste time or energy on the statute of limitations issue,” he says. In any case, he was always concerned only with the fundamental question. Blocher had already criticized the existing retirement plan as a member of the National Council and later on the Federal Council.
Today, former members of the government are guaranteed an income of half the federal council salary until their death. For former Federal Councilors, the pension is around 225,000 francs a year. Whoever continues to obtain income that, together with the pension, exceeds the annual salary of a practicing Federal Councilor, the pension will be reduced by this additional amount.
However, in December, the Council of States approved a measure by the finance delegation to review the retirement plan.
“Anyone who has been in government for 12 years will surely be a millionaire.”
“It can’t be that pension money is a driving force to get into the Federal Council,” says Blocher. Today each member of the government receives around 450,000 francs a year. “So anyone who’s been in government for twelve years is sure to be a millionaire,” says Blocher. “Anyone who leaves is hardly dependent on a lot of work.”
“By not going to court, I am giving the federal government 1.6 million francs,” says businessman Blocher. In fact, I wanted to avoid that. Because: “I certainly could have donated the money for something better.” But for him it is more important that the controversial retirement regulation is finally repealed.
And Blocher adds: “I hope the Federal Council does not do anything stupid with the donated money.”
