Green party leaders warn Now is not just to stand out

it was long planned, the Assembly of delegates of the Green in Sierre, VS. But that would be such a Triumph Celebration at that time were ancestors of nobody. Plus 23 seats in the cantonal parliaments of Zurich, Lucerne and Basel-Landschaft two weeks within: the green wave have seen, he never says Daniel Brélaz, the Canton of Vaud, which was elected in 1979 as the world's first Green to a national Parliament, and the sitting today, with 69 years, again in the national Council.

never calls the 57-year-old party boss, Regula Rytz their party colleagues, she has never experienced such a spirit of optimism. Total party in the 26 cantonal parliaments now 216 seats – as many as never before in the party's history, says Rytz. "Everywhere has sprouted and flourishes the green idea."

But the Star of the day is neither the old fighter Brélaz the happy party boss Rytz, but the 32-year-old Martin Neukom. Two weeks ago, Neukom has wrested in Zurich, the FDP a seat in the cantonal government. For this surprise coup, he is celebrated in Sierre with frenetic applause.

foreplay

The elections in the cantons, however, were only the prelude. The sausage is only in autumn, during the national Council elections. And that's why, warns Rytz, should you be now not cocky. "We will not win the elections in October, in the sleeping car."

national Council Balthasar Glättli (ZH) strikes admonishing tones. So it'll be in Bern, truly the "green slip" (O-Ton Glättli), had to mobilise the party very well. And at a national level is more difficult than in the cantons. On the basis of the Federal electoral system, which favors large parties, the profits the party in small cantons still little chance of finding a Seat.

So the green vote will help in some cantons best if your list partner SP–, or are even for the cat. In order to triumph in the autumn, also at the Federal level, it need therefore, in the remaining 197 days of very much use, warns Glättli, which acts together with a national councillor Lisa Mazzone (GE) as a Co-campaign Manager.

#climate choice 2019

in any case, the party wants to surf up in October at the climate change wave. Also, there are two other campaign issues, gender equality and the fight against right-wing populism. But the main theme is, of course, is climate change, as well as the official election poster revealed, the revealing of the party in Sierre: Under a picture of the planet earth, Our climate: "it's your choice." On the tables of the delegates at the Hôtel de Ville, Sierre hand-painted cardboard boards with Slogans such as "#Green" or "#Klimawahl2019".

That the climate issue could disappear over the summer out of the headlines, don't fear the green party strategists (and more). Unlike the Occupy movement, which arose at the end of 2011, comet-like, but just as quickly re-sanded, the climate movement, predicted the Zurich Neo-councillor Neukom. Because the climate movement be formulated – as it was then – specific goals: the reduction of net CO2 emissions to Zero by 2030.

in fact, While the Green on Saturday to go in Sierre days, in several Swiss cities again, tens of thousands of protesters against climate change on the road. Although the climate of youth, not of a political party Association, took trying. However, the Green track is quite open to a hug strategy. You pass a Resolution under the title: "the Green side of the climate strikers".

In the Resolution, the party makes demands of the climate youth to their own. First, to call in the whole of Switzerland, the "climate emergency", even if only "symbolically," as the party qualified in the small print. Secondly, the CO2 is to be reduced emissions by 2030 to zero. Thirdly, the whole economic system should be rebuilt "to a more circular economy".

That in the meantime other parties emphasize the ecological side, taking care of the party strategists, at least superficially. "Imitation is the highest Form of recognition," says Neukom. Technically and Economically there is a long time solutions to the climate crisis. What have been lacking until now is simply the political will to do so. "And that is exactly what is beginning to change just," Neukom convinced.

For how many seats is it enough?

Despite the euphoria in Sierre: Of your best times, the party is currently still far. In 2007, the party took seats in national elections, 22 the National Council and Council of States; currently, she holds seats for just 12 Parliament. As the choice of destination, the party has made already months ago, four to five additional seats – so they would still be far below its all-time high of 2007.

Secretly party Expo dream of ducks, though considerably larger Gains in October, as some of them admit off the record. But officially, party boss, Regula Rytz don't like to correct your choice of destination, despite the recent Successes up and out. The top priority for the Greens is a different: Now just don't stand out! (Editorial Tamedia)

Created: 06.04.2019, 17:39 PM