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The Bellevue Bar is packed on Tuesday evening.
blue News
Federal Council elections are Switzerland's biggest political spectacle. The evening before the election is already the subject of numerous legends. blue News was present at the Hotel Bellevue on Tuesday.
Advantage Ritter for the SVP, advantage Pfister for the GLP, the other four parliamentary groups are keeping a low profile on their strategy on the day before the Federal Council election. This leaves the starting position open - and plenty of room for speculation.
It is said that the final arrangements are made the night before the Federal Council election at the Bellevue Palace Hotel, traditionally known as the "night of the long knives". Politicians, local celebrities, the media and onlookers then besiege the lobby and bar of the luxury hotel in Bern.
blue News was there. An overview of the most important findings.
Contrary to the exuberant mood in the Bellevue Bar, but necessary due to the historical significance, first a depressing fact: although the phrase "night of the long knives" commonly refers to the night before the Federal Council election, it has its origins in a dark time.
In order to get rid of party supporters who had fallen out of favor, Adolf Hitler initiated the "Röhm Putsch" a year and a half after coming to power. Under the pretext of an imminent revolt from the ranks of the Sturmabteilung (SA), he had its leadership murdered along with its leader Ernst Röhm. Other political opponents and Jews were also killed. Around 90 people are known to have been murdered, but some researchers estimate that there were around 150 to 200 victims.
Now it gets brighter, I promise. However, anyone who is already in the hotel bar at 9 p.m. encounters a yawning emptiness. A dozen journalists are already positioned and the cameras and microphones are ready for action, but with a few exceptions there is no sign of any politicians.
From 9.15 p.m., more and more councillors arrive and the bar gradually fills up. This calls the hitherto unemployed media people onto the scene: armed with microphones and cameras, journalists circle around the crowd inconspicuously and on the lookout like sharks around their prey - in search of the biggest fish. It doesn't take long for the first ones to bite.
Speaking of media professionals: You don't need to be a fashion expert to be able to tell the difference between journalists and politicians, regardless of what they wear to work. While the latter profession consistently appears in shirts and suits, some representatives of the other guild dare to make fashion statements such as hoodies, worn-out sneakers and backpacks with holes in them.
Anyone who thinks that the big intrigues are being spun at Bellevue is mistaken. At least it's not obvious: whichever bar table you join, conversations about everyday topics or the current spring session dominate. And when a possible wild election does come up, the tenor is clear: there is little evidence to support it. The "night of the long knives" (the phrase will not be used from now on due to the historical context described in point 1) will probably remain primarily a myth.
The phrase in question found its way into local political reporting in 1983. At the time, it was about the successor to the deceased SP Federal Councillor Willi Ritschard. The official candidate of the Social Democrats was the Zurich National Councillor Lilian Uchtenhagen. However, Otto Stich from Solothurn, who had been contacted from the ranks of the FDP the previous day, was elected in the first round of voting.
It's obvious: spring has long since arrived at the luxury hotel in Bern. Flowers decorate the room in the middle - and Easter bunnies are already dangling from the ceiling on a swing.
Spring is in the air at the Hotel Bellevue.
blue News
It's quite possible that either Markus Ritter or Martin Pfister will be toasting a successful election with champagne on Wednesday. The dominant drink on the evening before, however, is brewed from the raw materials hops, malt, yeast and water. The absolute majority in the Bellevue Bar opt for a beer when choosing a drink.
The news quickly makes the rounds: Graubünden SP National Councillor Jon Pult has become a father. He is currently on paternity leave, but takes a short break for the Federal Council election.
Incidentally, Markus Ritter and Martin Pfister are not present. However, various representatives of cantonal governments have made the journey to Bern. Cantonal Councillor Martin Neukom and City Councillor Filippo Leutenegger are there from Zurich, for example. Delegations have also traveled from the home cantons of the Federal Council candidates, St. Gallen and Zug.
The attentive observer will notice: There's a missing "B".
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The Hotel Bellevue Palace right next to the Bundeshaus Ost is pompous. For a five-star luxury hotel, however, the address in illuminated letters outside seems a little modest. The "B" has simply given up the ghost. And so "Bellevue" becomes "Ellevue". Whether the outcome of the "undecided election" was actually decided here in secret on Tuesday evening will only be known afterwards.
