Madhouse federal building
Those were the craziest advances of the year
Woodcocks, special stamps or masturbation courses – there is nothing that is not an issue for Parliament in Bern. Many idiosyncratic demands were made again in 2022. Blick offers a small selection.
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Parliament submitted 2,716 proposals in 2022 alone. The pool of ideas, desires and demands is almost inexhaustible in Bundesbern.
Daniel BallmerEditor Politics
Motions, postulates, interpellations or simple questions – Parliament submitted 2,716 motions in the past year alone. The pool of ideas, desires and demands is almost inexhaustible in Bundesbern. Every year, there are also funny or rather bizarre claims among them. Blick offers a small selection.
Stamp special stamp
Marriage has been for everyone in Switzerland since the beginning of July. For Swiss Post it is nothing less than a “milestone on the way to equality”. It has therefore issued a special stamp. This is a thorn in the side of Ausserrhoden SVP National Councilor David Zuberbühler (43). This is an abuse of state funds for propaganda purposes – “society divisive,” he says. In an inquiry to the Federal Council, he therefore suggested that Swiss Post should withdraw the stamp and destroy the remaining circulation. Here’s a betrayal: she hasn’t.
Shooting ranges as oases of calm
Biodiversity is a top priority. With the Greens, but also in the Defense Department DDPS. Weapons and shooting ranges are to become veritable «hoards of biodiversity». Léonore Porchet (33), a Green from Vaud, is bothered by the fact that roads often lead across the site. Pollution and noise would have an enormous impact on flora and fauna. She suggests turning all gun and firing ranges into non-motorized traffic areas. However, the Federal Council is reluctant: cantons and municipalities are usually responsible. The question remains whether road traffic on shooting ranges is actually the biggest noise problem.
Talk like a beak has grown
In the future, Swiss German should also be allowed in the National Council, demands St. Gallen SVP National Councilor Lukas Reimann (40). Swiss German is experiencing a “cultural bloom”, including on social media. Reimann is convinced that it would be good for the Grand Chamber to cultivate the dialect more. This would also do justice to the diversity of Switzerland. He also sees no problem for French and Italian speakers in the Council: the interpreters should also be able to translate from dialect instead of standard German.
Endangered Woodcock
The woodcock seems to be close to the heart of GLP National Councilor François Pointet (53). Above all, he is worried about the bird: 11 percent more animals were hunted in 2021 than in the previous year. The population of the already threatened species continues to decline, he refers to a study – and fires a broadside of critical questions at the Federal Council. However, this refers dryly to the same study, according to which changes in the habitat are decisive. Hunting, on the other hand, has hardly any impact on the woodcock population.
Masturbation help at state expense
The state-supported organization Sexual Health Switzerland wants to make masturbation an issue – also in schools. It is supposed to be a “declaration of war” on a “taboo that has been in place for too long”. Shame and the feeling of doing something forbidden are still too strong. State-financed masturbation courses for children – that goes too far for the SVP. The Thurgau National Councilor Verena Herzog (66) would like to turn off the money tap of the organization.
Break milk is sour
If that’s not enough for you, here’s another demand from Animal Rights: the animal welfare organization has launched a petition demanding the end of the milk break day in Swiss schools. This is organized by Swissmilk every year and aims to draw attention to milk as a “healthy snack”. The animal rights activists are outraged: Because what is done with cows and calves in the dairy industry is not for children’s eyes. The lobby advertising leads to an uncritical and distorted image of the dairy industry.