[ad_1]
The Federal Council was on the road for two weeks in terms of loosening with the parking brake applied. On Wednesday, the government released the brakes and shifted gears: The spots and bars should reopen on May 11. Museums can receive visitors again.
In the eyes of the public, the decision came abruptly, the change of pace was surprising. When Health Minister Alain Berset (48, SP) presented the timetable for the first relaxation measures in mid-April, he did not even mention the hotel industry. The rapid reopening of museums also contrasts with the decision at the time, in which the Federal Council named June 8 as the date for the reopening of museums and libraries.
Maurer and Berset extreme positions
The acceleration of the Federal Council is the result of weeks of fighting behind the scenes. Finance Minister Ueli Maurer (69, senior vice president) represented extreme positions on the one hand, and Berset on the other.
Maurer had already warned of the economic consequences of a blockade when the crown epidemic in Switzerland broke out. Also in recent weeks, he has hardly missed an opportunity to oppose what he sees as harsh intervention by his colleagues in the Federal Council.
On the day of the decisive meeting, the “NZZ” brought an interview with Maurer. In it, he commented on the Federal Council’s strategy in recent weeks with scathing words: “It really wasn’t always easy to share all this with your colleagues.” As the country continued to process Maurer’s attack, Berset had to announce the relaxation. It would be a mistake to conclude that the SVP man has imposed his will on the Federal Council. The finance department’s line continues to go too far for most of the government. As it is said from the environment of the Federal Council, Maurer asked in vain on Wednesday that he practically lift the restrictions on gastronomy on May 11. Most decided on a limit of four guests per table.
Mounting prohibited
The finance minister has also unsuccessfully requested a strategy on how to hold meetings again with up to 1,000 people. Also with his proposed exemption for cases where more than five people gather, he bit his council colleagues in granite. The ban on such meetings continues to apply.
Health Minister Alain Berset, on the other hand, is doing everything faster than too slow. One of the scenarios that the department of the interior was circulating at the beginning of the crisis was a blockade that would have taken almost twice as long. Berset had also proposed a more cautious pace ahead of Wednesday’s session regarding gastronomy.
Until recently, the majority of the Federal Council was on the Berset line. The state government maintained its cautious strategy until late last week. At least this had pointed to party leaders, as Greens President Regula Rytz (58, BE) recalls. Other participants in the meeting confirm this. On Wednesday Alain Berset represented “the opposite” to the media, Rytz says. And it comes to the end: “The state government is jeopardizing the confidence of the population and the parliament.”
SP criticism
Criticism of the SP has also been heard “We have reached a point where some openly ask how many deaths we want to take in order to return to daily economic life as quickly as possible,” said the National Council of Aargau Cédric Wermuth (34 years old). “I sincerely hope we don’t change too early.”
In fact, the Federal Council had already warned in the first weeks of April when restaurants could open their doors to guests again. However, because an agreement could not be reached until the press conference on April 16, the Federal Council believed that it could exclude the issue. In view of the violent outrage that was subsequently reflected in the media, the administration now admits that this communication strategy has gone wrong.
Last but not least, the Economic Commission of the National Council pressed. He demanded that small stores open as of April 27 and that restaurants gradually open on May 11.
Gössi disappointed with relaxation
Petra Gössi (44, SZ), president of the FDP, which has two federal councilors, also voiced strong criticism. He was “disappointed” by the hesitant relaxation and accused the government of lacking a “real strategy”. The SVP even launched a real campaign to end the blockade.
And something else may have prompted the Federal Council to decide on Wednesday: the extraordinary session that begins on Monday. CVP chief Gerhard Pfister (57, ZG): “It was clear that the Federal Council had to clarify the open questions before the special session. Otherwise, he should have expected Parliament to take over and issue emergency ordinances by himself. “
Case numbers influence the Federal Council
A decreasing number of cases is also likely to have influenced the debate in the Federal Council and allowed the population to resume their coffee or glass of wine from Monday of the following week: more than two weeks ago , about 300 newly infected people were reported; now it’s only about half.
But the relaxation that has now been decided leaves central questions open. like what a change in strategy would look like if the number of cases started again due to relaxation. This week, some councilors wanted to know exactly this at a committee meeting of Pascal Strupler, the head of the Federal Office of Public Health.
Strupler was unable to really calm the parliamentarians. Some of those who were there say Strupler did not owe the Commission an answer.
