Three ex-federal councilors criticize the halt in negotiations
The position of the Federal Council vis-à-vis Brussels is called into question in a series of podcasts on Europe, broadcast on Friday on German radio and television (SRF).
Several former federal councilors have criticized the position of the current government on Swiss-EU relations, during a series of podcasts on Europe broadcast on Friday by SRF. Arnold Koller, Moritz Leuenberger and Adolf Ogi do not understand that the Federal Council has stopped the negotiations.
“It was a big disappointment for me, in substance and in form,” former PDC federal councilor Arnold Koller told German-speaking radio and television (SRF) about the decision, in May 2021, not to sign. the institutional agreement and not to pursue discussions with the EU.
“We negotiated for seven years before simply throwing in the towel,” he lamented. Among his former colleagues, Moritz Leuenberger (PS) also broke the tradition of reserve of former ministers by saying that the halt in negotiations had “enormously annoyed” him. And to add: “We could at least have submitted the agreement to Parliament.”
Adolf Ogi (UDC) expressed himself in the same direction, indirectly taking his side. “The UDC always says that the people must have the last word”. The former Federal Councilor is of the opinion that on this file too, the agreement should have been submitted to the people and the government.
Arnold Koller went further by considering that a popular rejection would have had the advantage of at least strengthening the government’s position on this issue. By putting a stop to the discussions, the Federal Council has weakened itself, according to Mr. Koller.
Blocher and Calmy-Rey in support
Adolf Ogi thinks that the Federal Council should take matters into its own hands today and not just “send secretaries of state to Brussels”.
Arnold Koller does not believe that the EU is ready for concessions. Switzerland will, in his view, have to accept an institutional path in which the European Court of Justice will play “a central role”.
Other ex-magistrates do not share these opinions. Christoph Blocher (UDC) believes that the cause was “in any case lost”, because the agreement necessarily implied taking up European law and accepting the sovereignty of the European Court.
Micheline Calmy-Rey (PS) is also understanding of the current Federal Council. The agreement would have “deeply divided” the country, she told German-speaking radio. “I understand that the government has stopped the negotiations”.
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