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The SVP officially said goodbye to former Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer on Saturday.
Sophie ReinhardtEditor Politics
The delegates of the SVP adopted the new party program at their meeting in Bülach ZH on Saturday and their former Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer (72) with standing ovations.
In the latest program, the largest Swiss party is not only focusing on tried and tested topics but also on provocative elements. The SVP is against “the integrative school system” and demands that the authorities automatically forward the data from so-called undocumented to the migration authorities. In this way, those present illegally should be able to be expelled consistently.
The party also wants to fight for at least 50 km/h on main traffic routes in urban areas. And one chapter is dedicated to the strategy with which the party wants to fight “gender terror and woke madness”.
“Will stay connected to the party”
In addition, the party wants to work to ensure that the racism penalty is repealed. This prevents freedom of expression, believes the majority of party members present.
Freedom of expression was also the central theme in Mauer’s farewell speech. In this, the former Federal Councilor said that he sees it as his future task to listen to those people who have given up and no longer dare to say certain things. “A lot of people told me that you shouldn’t say certain things out loud anymore.” But that is a dangerous development and bad for democracy. He also sees that there is constant “moralization”. This shuts down the discussion.
Maurer was happily applauded for his words by his party friends. Maurer thanked him for having filled almost every post the party had to offer. That’s why the SVP won’t get rid of him now, he said with a smile. “Of course I will remain connected to the party – and I am now fully involved again as a member.” He is at SVP events almost every day and wants to keep it that way, says Maurer.
More migrants for the cities?
The event is an example of the fact that there is still controversy in the SVP. A motion from the grassroots demanded that the SVP should work to ensure that asylum seekers should be consistently distributed according to left-green voter shares. The proposal met with quite a lot of sympathy from the SVP members in the hall. It is not up to the civil communities in Switzerland to take in migrants, so voices in the hall. “Let the left-wing townsfolk pay for these people,” it said.
The SVP National Councilor Roland Rino Büchel (57) spoke out clearly against the proposal. This is not serious. Another attendee pointed out that “pushing” migrants in Switzerland is not an option. Instead, you have to ensure that fewer migrants come to Switzerland. The motion was ultimately rejected by the majority and was therefore not included in the party program.
Cooperation with Freisinn required
In addition to the new party program, the upcoming election year was also a topic. SVP President Marco Chiesa (48) called for nationwide list connections with the FDP. In the last national elections, the SP won a seat in Graubünden, for example, because of the lack of connection between the FDP and the SVP, said Chiesa. That shouldn’t be repeated. “We must do everything so that there is no renewed left slide.” Around 500 delegates and guests attended the event.