"Not for the faint-hearted" What the winners and losers of the elections in Bern have to say
The SVP can feel like a winner in the Bernese elections for government and parliament, even if it was not able to achieve all the goals it had set itself. Here's what the winners and losers of Sunday's vote had to say.
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- In the elections for the new Bernese cantonal government, the majority situation remains unchanged.
- The left was able to fend off the SVP's attack on a third seat, albeit narrowly.
- "A rollercoaster of emotions": the newly elected SP government councillor Reto Müller was able to defend the second seat for his party in a neck-and-neck race against Daniel Bichsel.
Although the SVP's attack on a third seat in Bern's cantonal government failed, the party should start the new week with a good feeling. This is because the SVP achieved a brilliant election victory in the cantonal parliament, gaining seven seats.
For a long time, Daniel Bichsel had hopes of winning a seat in the Bernese government. He fought an exciting neck-and-neck race with Reto Müller from the SP. And in the end he was only just ahead. He won 99,021 votes, Bichsel only 92,121.
Bichsel was ahead for a while, but "unfortunately saw the negative result coming" as his lead dwindled.
The councillor and mayor of Zollikofen told SRF: "The first feeling is certainly one of disappointment when you put yourself forward as a candidate. On the other hand, I'm glad that we were able to retain the conservative majority."
«The first feeling is certainly a bit of disappointment when you put yourself forward as a candidate»
His opponent and new government councillor Reto Müller, on the other hand, spoke of a "rollercoaster of emotions". The projections were "not for the faint-hearted".
However, the re-election of Philippe Müller (FDP) was far less close than that of his namesake. Nevertheless, Müller was relieved after the election: "You're only elected when you're elected. That's the case in every election. There are always people who are voted out, so you always have to get the result first."
«The electorate wants a bourgeois majority, but not an overly bourgeois majority»
The new SVP government councillor Raphael Lanz was delighted with his result and also attributed it to his work as Thun's mayor. He had known from the outset that it would not be easy to expand the conservative majority. "The electorate wants a conservative majority, but not an overly conservative majority," he said.
His party colleague Pierre Alain Schnegg, meanwhile, defended the guaranteed seat of the Bernese Jura.
«Awareness as a National Councillor certainly helped»
The Green Party's Aline Trede won the seat vacated by her departing party colleague Christine Häsler. "I am very happy, but I also feel a great responsibility," Trede told Blick. She feels like she used to as a child, when she took part in sports competitions and then stood on the podium.
Trede also attributes her election success to her high profile as a National Councillor. She told SRF: "My fame as a National Councillor certainly helped." Now she would like to see more ambition for the canton. Because it is often only highlighted what is going badly, when it has so many opportunities, for example in the energy transition.
«Overwhelmed me»
Government Councillor Astrid Bärtschi (center) has the most votes behind her. "I am overwhelmed that so many people in the canton wrote my name by hand on their ballot paper," said Bärtschi. She is now looking forward to continuing the projects she has started in her directorate and implementing the tax strategy. "We are facing major fiscal challenges," she continued.
With 138,672 votes, she finished ahead of Director of Justice Evi Allemann (SP) with 129,824 votes and Director of Security Philippe Müller (FDP) with 120,623 votes.