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Roadblocks like here on the French border in Basel were a visible expression of the emergency law. Image: keystone
An “enabling law”? Covid-19 bill reaches parliament
The Federal Council wants to convert Corona’s emergency law into ordinary law. Parliament will vote on it this week. Corona skeptics want to take the referendum.
Half a year ago, the Federal Council decided on the extraordinary situation and paralyzed Switzerland. The spring session of the Federal Parliament was abruptly interrupted. After two sessions at the BernExpo, Parliament returns this week to the Bundeshaus, which has been “enhanced” with Plexiglas panels.
This is probably the most important template of the fall session. Covid-19 Law. The Federal Council wants that with him Corona-Notrecht in ordinary legislation before it automatically expires at the end of September. Wednesday’s tips National Council the law, the next day is Council of states on the train. It should take effect immediately after the session ends.
With plexiglass and masks: this is how Parliament works in the autumn session. Image: keystone
Because it is?
On June 19, the Federal Council declared the extraordinary location finished. The same day he sent the draft of the Covid-19 law for consultation. In doing so, the Federal Council wants parliament to give it the power to continue or adapt the necessary measures to combat the corona pandemic in its view.
Specifically, it concerns border controls, export controls for protective equipment, the supply of important medical products or the protection of particularly vulnerable people. The project envisaged a hearing of the cantons to take additional measures. Financial support for media and culture workers and income replacement has also been included.
When the law was introduced, Federal Chancellor Walter Thurnherr spoke of a “great hodgepodge” of measures that are directly related to the corona epidemic and should not automatically expire in the fall. Thurnherr emphasized that there were “clearly limited powers for a clearly limited period of time.”
What were the reactions?
Despite the guarantees of the Federal Chancellor, the law was quite untidy during the consultation process. The Covid-19 law still gives too much power to the Federal Council, it was particularly criticized. Critics spoke of one “Enabling act” and therefore used a Nazi-era term with extremely high historical burden. Opponents of the Crown measures even flooded the Federal Chancellery with thousands of petitions.
Strong criticism also came from the SVP, SP and FDP, which have a majority in both houses of parliament. Therefore, the Federal Council had to make important changes to the law. Above all, it wants to involve the cantons more closely. Industry associations, social partners, political parties and other stakeholders should also participate “wherever possible”.
Most cantons welcomed the law. But they demand more freedom of action for their own decisions because not all regions are equally affected by the virus. The time horizon has also shortened. The Covid 19 law will be limited by the end of 2021 instead of the end of 2022 as originally planned by the Federal Council.
What to expect
Despite numerous amendments, especially from the left, the National Council and the Council of States are likely to pass the law. Therefore, Parliament would remain faithful to its previous model in the crisis of the crown. Although politicians and parties sometimes voiced harsh criticism, they ultimately clearly approved the Federal Council’s measures.
Critics see this as an expression of excessive demands. “Parliament is making great efforts to carry out its tasks effectively in difficult times and to democratically control the Federal Council. But it would be important for him to take responsibility here, “said Markus Schefer, a Basel constitutional lawyer, of the” Sunday newspaper. “
Is there any resistance?
Protest against the Covid law in Bern at the end of June. Image: keystone
During the consultation process, the federal administration was covered with more than 1,000 statements totaling more than 9,000 pages. Most of them came from individuals and were largely identical in content. Members of the National Council and the Council of States were also inundated with an orchestrated email campaign.
Behind this are the “crown skeptics” who reject the Federal Council’s emergency measures for various reasons. A group called “Friends of the Constitution” wants to hold the referendum. According to the Tamedia newspapers, the “vaccination decision network” wants to check if they are involved. He fears a mandatory vaccination.
But this is not mentioned in the Covid 19 law. The basis for a mandatory vaccination would be the Epidemic Law, which was passed by the electorate in 2013 after anti-vaccination activists had called the referendum. A similar scenario is foreseeable in a referendum on the Covid-19 law. It would take place in March 2021 at the earliest, after the law had almost half its “useful life” behind it.
With Keystone-SDA material
