With this staged close to Switzerland celebrates itself

symbolism, we must let our Federal Council , symbolism he can do. As he marched from the under the leadership of the Zurich main train station (you get the 7.32 train from Bern), as the bodyguards discreetly remain in the Background (even if one of the Bodyguards, a small criticism, the muzzle of the gun under the gold Hipster bomber jacket hervorgügselt), as the colleagues of the Zurich cantonal government cordially greeted, as he then in a very magnificent meeting rooms of the state Museum pulls back and there, as with any other club in new waned, Murten, or Unterägeri good the agenda of the day working just a glass of water in front of you – without Blöterli! – is all of a normality and conservatism, and, Yes, of a authenticity, it is almost touching.

That this symbolism is intentional, is no secret. All, think about the meetings of the Federal Council outside Bern tell you about the meetings, "extra-muros". Federal President Ueli Maurer says it is up to the media shortly before 9 a.m., before he abrauscht also to the meeting room, and he says it again later at the opening of the Aperitifs with the population in the courtyard of the national Museum. "In no other country in the world, the government can just get on the train to a meeting. This is a quality!" In Switzerland, and in Switzerland, were the circumstances reversed. Direct democracy, thank. Above the people, below the government. "We are here today to visit to our heads. You! You can complain, you can make Selfies, you can give us praise. Switzerland, we are all together!"

To the people!

14. Time, the Federal Council met yesterday outside of Bern. He was already in the Ticino, in the Jura, Vaud and Glarus. Ueli Maurer has selected the Zurich, because he held no Federal presidential celebration in his native Canton, and, because he heard in Bern is often the charge that Zurich was of enormous importance for Switzerland, in Bern, opposite the edge regions, but a permanent disadvantage. Also here: symbolism. Look, the government is there for you. Even for you in Zurich.

"In a country like Switzerland, where federalism is important, the regions, the language of diversity and direct democracy, is not allowed to enter the Federal Council of the country the feeling, to hide in Bern. He must to the people!" The Federal Council spokesman André Simonazzi said. He "invented" the sessions, "extra muros" in the year 2010 and introduced.

A tribute

The meetings "outside the walls" to follow an orchestrated procedure: Welcome by the local cantonal government, meeting, Apéro with the government, Apéro with the population, have lunch with the government, to return to Bern. Highlight of the day is the encounter with the population. Since the end of the 60s, the Federal Council as a body part visited once each year on his trip to another country.

in 1990, was developed during such a trip in the Eastern Switzerland, "a hitherto unknown Form of contact between the government and the population; the so-called Volksapéros", is how to read it in a Thesis of the historian Michael Brupbacher from the year 2005. "The government and the people are on such occasions, in direct contact, the common Take a small meal and Drink to create an atmosphere of connectedness," writes Brupbacher and called together a "meeting back at the same time retaining the Form of the homage of the Ruling".

Ernst

they are on both sides, these Aperitifs. On citizens, such as Elisabeth Fuchs from Zurich, which has heard yesterday Morning from the occasion, and now, you can't call it differently, pretty much out of the Hüsli. "Where is it that you can just talk to the government?", Fox, which had expected a lot more Bodyguards and security measures says. Fox has serious concerns about the new wireless technology 5G and was able to claim first Simonetta Sommaruga and after that, Guy Parmelin. Just like that. "I felt I was being taken very seriously. You have correctly listened. And stood then still for a Selfie."

calls and Selfies: the members of The show close to the people. Photo: Urs Jaudas

The effect also relates to the other side, the members of the Federal Council. Moritz Leuenberger has experienced during his time in the Federal Council a few Cocktails with the people, and he knows of colleagues who had the mad. "I was gefröstelt always something. The true encounters with the population are held in the Tram, in the Bus or in the market," says Leuenberger. The staged "people close to" Yes, as a word, treacherous. "In consequence of the word means that there is an initial distance between the Rulers and the population." This distance will then overcome such a aperitif artificial way, in a kind of mutual narcissistic enrichment. The people are very excited that you have a magistrate to Arrive; the magistrates very excited that there are people that want a touch actually.

"We are here today to visit to our heads. You! Switzerland, we are all together!"

The aperitif as a place of power for the Federal councillors. Place for soul a massage and in a good mood. "I can't imagine that a Federal Council draws the power for his Job from his everyday life. Your everyday mountains consists Mainly of meetings and Files. Pull the motor instead, it is from such encounters with the population, where they receive encouragement," says CVP-President Gerhard Pfister.

Federal Council Pascal Couchepin it was, for example. The free Democrat cut during his tenure in the popularity polls regularly bad. In contact with the population, he experienced something else. "People liked him, obviously," says the then-Couchepin-employee and current policy Advisor Andreas Müller. "Often afterwards said: I did not know that the Federal Council Couchepin is so affable and warm-hearted."

the bathroom in the lot but it can have fallacious consequences. Federal councillors lose thereat sometimes the orientation. Samuel Schmid, for example. Even when he was isolated in the Parliament, he said: "The people standing behind me." So Schmid missed, ultimately, the right Moment for his resignation, believes CVP, President of Pfister, who keeps the visits to the Federal councillors in the Rest of the "state-politically valuable".

crucial

Also Moritz Leuenberger, has it gefröstelt sometimes to the Aperitifs, says that these Drinks are essential. "Symbolism is just as important. Policy is an essential part of the symbolism. Other state forms have spectacular political rituals, enthronement, or the first appearance of a Royal baby. This is all we have. That's why these visits in the country are areas of utmost importance."

And that the Federal Council may symbolism, he has shown yesterday in Zurich enough. With all the people close to the only faux pas was even something. The aperitif in front of the Apéro, the Federal Council took on the terrace of the national Museum, Royal wink distance to his subjects. They saw graciously over it.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 15.05.2019, 20:28 PM