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The corona virus is spreading across the country at the rate of hell. In most cantons, Mr. and Mrs. Swiss can only meet privately in small groups. Events are also subject to more stringent requirements almost every day. But that doesn’t stop the National Council from meeting for a special two-day session starting Thursday.
But the 200 council members will not meet. “The risk at the end of the week is too great to be infected in the Federal Palace,” says green liberal Martin Bäumle (56). The former GLP president decided “out of common sense” not to attend the session. “There are no deals that are not postponed or that require my presence,” he says.
The session must be “elaborate”
Because there could be a risk of contagion in the crowded chamber of the National Council, the Liberal Greens sought a conversation with the administrative delegation. This delegation includes the two presidents and four vice presidents of the National Council and the Council of States. “Apparently he wants to go through the session rather than setting a good example,” says Bäumle.
“There are council members in our group who have concerns,” confirms GLP Secretary General Michael Köpfli (37). However, participation in the session is ultimately an individual decision. And until today only National Councilor Bäumle has withdrawn from the GLP parliamentary group.
Bäumle is an isolated case
For the rest, Bäumle too seems to be an isolated case. Neither the SVP, FDP, CVP or SP are aware of the concerns of the members of their National Council. Protective measures, such as plexiglass glass between individual desks, are considered sufficient. In addition, the president of the National Council, Isabelle Moret (49), informed the parliamentarians in writing that they are now also required to wear a mask in the Federal Palace.
“Statistically, there will certainly be individual cases of quarantine, in all parliamentary groups,” said SP spokesman Nicolas Haesler. In the special session, however, issues such as commercial rentals or the Covid 19 Solidarity Guarantee Law would be discussed, which are urgent, he emphasizes. “Thousands of people need immediate help: companies, freelancers and employees who are suffering economically the effects of the pandemic.”
“The Federal Council and the cantons have failed”
However, GLP National Councilor Bäumle is not dissuaded from his post. The case numbers are too high for him. The risk of infection is too great. “The Federal Council and the cantons have failed,” he says. Above all, the crown federal task force warned of the second wave: “But the authorities failed to take action in a timely manner.”
Even now a week and a half has been wasted without introducing the necessary measures at the national level, criticized Bäumle, “the later, the greater the damage to the economy and society.”
