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- The National Council has a new president in the SVP politician from Bern, Andreas Aebi.
- The 62-year-old Bernese farmer, rancher and auctioneer has been a member of the Grand Chamber since 2007.
- Aebi follows Isabelle Moret (FDP / VD). Irène Kälin (Greens / AG) becomes first vice president, Martin Candinas (CVP / GR) second vice president.
Andreas Aebi was elected with 178 out of 183 valid votes. Compared to the long-term average, this is an above-average result. Aebi’s predecessor, Isabelle Moret, was elected a year ago with a record result, with 193 out of 198 valid votes. On a long-term average, the new Presidents of the National Council were elected with around 150 votes each.
“Cohesion, trust and satisfaction”
The new president of the National Council wants to put his year in office under the motto “Cohesion, trust and satisfaction.” He very much hopes that in the coming days the parliament will find fair, effective and quick solutions for companies that have gotten into the crisis through no fault of their own, Aebi said in his speech. Cohesion also means taking into account the needs of the regions, he said in Italian and addressing Ticino.
It is the moment of resignation and solidarity and not the moment of pleasure and fun, Aebi warned. He remembered those who lost loved ones in the pandemic and those who fear for their jobs. “We hope you experience confidence and rays of hope.” However, with all the challenges to be overcome, the joy should not be lost. Common laughter and common pain should have their place.
Aebi assured her that she wanted to carry out her mandate efficiently and impartially, with a view to the whole, and praised her predecessor Isabelle Moret (FDP / VD) as an “excellent teacher”. The coronavirus pandemic taught us to react to the situation in parliamentary leadership, to reprogram and break new ground.
With sustained and warm applause, the National Council said goodbye to the most important Swiss, Isabelle Moret, who resigned. The president of the Council of States Hans Stöckli (SP / BE) and themselves left their successors with a parliament prepared for such crises, Moret said about his year in office, which was marked by the pandemic.
Andreas Aebi (center) with his vice-presidents Irène Kälin and Martin Candinas. Kälin is expected to assume the presidency of Aebi in 2022 and Candinas in 2023.
Keystone
Irène Kälin (Greens) from Aargau is the new First Vice President of the National Council. He was elected with 137 of 168 valid votes. The 33-year-old has been a member of the National Council since 2017 and is expected to take over the presidency of Aebi in one year, by 2022.
After the Greens, the middle parliamentary group will assume the presidency of the great chamber in 2023. On Monday, the National Council elected Martin Candinas (CVP) of Grisons, 40, as the new second vice-president, with 154 of 170 valid votes.
Aebi: agricultural and foreign politicians
Andreas Aebi began his political career at the municipal level. From 1998 to 2008 he was mayor of Alchenstorfer. Without ever having been a member of the cantonal parliament, he made the leap to the National Council in 2007. He has been reelected three times since then, always with the best results in the canton.
The army commander describes himself as an agricultural and foreign politician. Aebi has been a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee for years, which he chaired in 2012 and 2013.
