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Ruth Humbel has been a member of the National Council for over 16 years, she is its longest serving member, but the Aargau CVP politician has never seen anything like it. That for days it is not clear how Parliament can be put back into operation. That he faces so much power from an executive.
Which then, after a few crazy weeks, the two council chambers have to decide on as much money at once. And anyway, Humbel thinks: “The fact that we have to meet in an exhibition hall a few kilometers from our federal building, who could have thought of something like that?” Say it and get off the tram in Bernexpo.
Humbel takes a leisurely step toward the showrooms, carefully looks left and right, identifies himself at the entrance, gestures to a few colleagues, and finally searches for his desk in the makeshift National Council hall. Almost everything is different on the first day of the extraordinary session, but the best way to notice this is that even experienced users have to orient themselves first.
The space is really generous, the distances correspondingly great, and at least the federal councils are more attractive than ever. Basel-based SVP National Councilor Sandra Sollberger, who is behind her group, has brought a pair of binoculars as a precaution. The word “historical” is used repeatedly on this day, it hardly ever seems out of place. The small talk by parliamentarians can be roughly divided into two categories: the “what’s there” category and the “what’s not there” category.
There is no “Glöif” like in Wandelhalle (as expressed by the national councilor of the BDP, Heinz Siegenthaler), lobbyists, tribunes, mountains of paper, or noise of emptiness (70 decibels are measured in the Federal Palace), nor alcohol in the stalls catering. There are snacks for lunch, a disinfectant dispenser every few meters (the contents smell of cherry), plenty of space in the toilets (because only every second urinal is accessible).
Applause for the helpers in the crisis and for democracy.
The president of the National Council, Isabelle Moret, rings the bell promptly at ten o’clock. “I greet you with excitement in this extraordinary session in several ways,” he says into the microphone, which is in a plastic bag. Moret talks about “this insidious virus”, briefly looking back. “The past few weeks have also been exceptional for democracy,” says the liberal. “But our democracy is strong, as is our country.” A few hours later, the President of the Council of States, Hans Stöckli, will warn: “In our work, we must monitor the general interests.”
Moret says his thoughts go out to all those who have lost loved ones and can only cry in difficult conditions. On behalf of Parliament, he expresses his sympathy to the afflicted, sick and afflicted. First, the national councilors get up for a minute of silence. Then they applaud those who keep society alive in times of crisis.
The following recalls the safety instructions on an airplane. Council President Moret provides information, as a kind of maitre de cabine, on hygiene measures at the site. Exceptionally there are three lecterns so that a used one can be disinfected after each conference. With Moret’s help, employees of parliamentary services use wild arm movements to show where the entrances and exits are.
The day is historical. Therefore, Federal President Simonetta Sommaruga is beginning to make a statement: the Federal Council used this instrument more recently at the start of the Iraq war in 2003. “Switzerland is not invulnerable,” he says. “A small virus puts big things at risk: our fundamental rights.” The Federal Council has restricted personal liberty and the economy of people, intervening in the sovereignty of the cantons.
The pandemic has brought Parliament to the lines of spectators. “But now you are completely responsible again,” Sommaruga tells the National Council. “One thing cannot and should not harm the virus: our strong democracy.” It reminds Parliament of the duty to question the decisions of the Federal Council. “It is not just your right, it is your duty!” She asks: “May democracy really come alive!”
Smoking, scolding, debating: party politics is back
So Parliament is back, and so is party politics. SVP President Albert Rösti points to the need for border controls and the abundance of free movement of people, especially in times of rising unemployment. SP Group leader Roger Nordmann wants to cushion the negative economic consequences with investments in climate change, and emphasizes the strength of the state.
CVP Vice President Marco Romano praises the importance of the medium in the crisis because he now needs pragmatic rather than ideological solutions. Meanwhile, the leader of the Green Group, Balthasar Glättli, warns against billions of francs to keep yesterday’s gray economy alive. Beat Walti calls for personal responsibility on behalf of the FDP parliamentary group, because without it neither the immediate overcoming of the crisis nor the attainment of prosperity will succeed.
And the smallest faction, the Green Liberals, emphasizes the possibility of crisis. Implement digitization steps and realign climate-damaging mobility behavior, as parliamentary group leader Tiana Angelina Moser says.
The votes are not surprising, nor do they have to be. And yet, it is clear that party-political competition is underway again. This extraordinary session is about money. The nearly 60 billion Swiss francs to deal with the crown crisis, with the exception of aid to Swiss airlines and Edelweiss, are hardly disputed.
But the parliament can and will readjust the decisions of the Federal Council or it will speak money where the Federal Council did not consider it necessary. For nurseries, for example. Or for restaurateurs and merchants who moan under the burden of rent. This issue makes it clear: even if there are no pressure groups in Bernexpo, they are still pursuing their goals, also with success.
At least this is how SP National Councilor Jacquelin Badran feels. He stands in front of the Bernexpo, smokes and scolds. About all councilors with mandates in the real estate industry that would avoid a good rental solution. About journalists who don’t do their jobs. On the lack of economic competition of federal parliamentarians. “A free seminar,” says Bernese FDP national councilor Christa Markwalder, in the middle. At the Federal Palace, smokers can see the Aare, Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau from their balcony. Not so nice before Bernexpo, but the sayings are forceful as usual.
Despite all the problems, Badran does not forget his manners. She offers a Federal Police employee to go find coffee. He declines: “The boss doesn’t allow that.”
In the Council of States, many of the speakers questioned the role of Parliament during this pandemic, the descent into the ranks of spectators and the voluntary renunciation of rights. They want to learn lessons from that. Only one is out of the ordinary. Ruedi Noser, Council of States of the FDP, talks about the Enlightenment and European values.
“Can you be free if you depend on state money?” Asks the businessman, noting that we have forgotten that death is part of life. Noser lashes out at a policy aimed at “reducing the death rate by stopping life.”
