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Clear path for Mattea Meyer (32) and Cédric Wermuth (34)! Tomorrow at midnight the window for candidates for the SP presidium will be closed. But no one in the party wants to seriously oppose the leadership duo.
After the withdrawal of the duo Mathias Reynard (32) and Priska Seiler Graf (52), only outsider Martin Schwab (26) clings to his candidacy. But he will have no chance at the SP party congress on October 17 in Basel.
Not everyone is happy
However, Wermuth and Meyer shouldn’t be overly excited. Because not all comrades cheer on the new SP bosses. In mid-July, half of the SP’s parliamentary group, at least 24 national and state councilors, wrote a letter to Meyer and Wermuth.
Their fear: the two could capture the PS and its followers and lead them on a strongly leftist and provocative course. The letter was signed by the National Councilors Flavia Wasserfallen (41, BE) Franziska Roth (54, SO) and Matthias Aebischer (52, BE) as well as the two State Councilors Eva Herzog (58, BS) and Daniel Jositsch (55, ZH).
Bendahan will be SP-Vize werden
A good dozen of those interested have met with Meyer and Wermuth twice since they wrote. The last meeting last Friday was “honestly constructive,” both sides say. And the talks were not without consequences, as BLICK knows.
The group launches its own candidacy for the vice presidency. Vaudois’ national adviser Samuel Bendahan (40), one of the brains behind the letter, should keep an eye on Meyer and Wermuth in the future.
Largest Presidium
And that’s not all. The group wants to expand the presidium with two vice-presidents. The national councilor of Neuchâtel SP, Baptiste Hurni (34), will present the corresponding motion in view of the party congress.
“In the presidium, the diversity of the party must flow with people who want to work together for the future of the SP,” says SP National Councilor Wasserfallen. And: “There is no place for groupthink in the Presidium.” Traditionally, for example, a seat is reserved to the Juso in the vice-presidency of the SP.
Fight for the vice presidency
But this falters violently. Because until today, nine SP politicians have presented a candidacy for the vice-presidency, but only five seats remain free.
Among the candidates are the two former Vice Presidents Barbara Gysi (56, SG) and Ada Marra (47, VD). The new candidates are Zurich National Councilors Jacqueline Badran (58) and Angelo Barrile (44), Jon Pult (35) from Graubünden, Bruno Storni (66) from Ticino, Juso President Ronja Jansen (25) and Co-President of the women of the SP, Martine Docourt (41 years old).
The new SP bosses, Wermuth and Meyer, declined to comment on a possible expansion of the presidium on Tuesday.
Paper agreements
Finally, the group also made substantive agreements with Wermuth and Meyer that mainly refer to the diversity within the party and the culture of debate.
The group attaches importance to the fact that local SP politicians are more involved. In addition, a “brainstorming laboratory” will be created which will also allow simple party members to make suggestions. The so-called strike votes, in which all members of the SP are interrogated, should also take place more frequently if the pragmatists so wish.
The group put the agreements in writing. The document should give them legitimacy to return to the points later and, if necessary, to criticize Cédric Wermuth and Mattea Meyer.
