Gerhard Pfister as a centrist candidate? "Would definitely not accept election"

Sven Ziegler

3.2.2025

Center Party President Gerhard Pfister (right) and Center parliamentary group leader Philipp Matthias Bregy.
Center Party President Gerhard Pfister (right) and Center parliamentary group leader Philipp Matthias Bregy.
sda

The Centre Party is entering the Federal Council race with two candidates. The party is now announcing the next steps.

No time? blue News summarizes for you

  • The Center Party has two official candidates for the Federal Council
  • They are St. Gallen National Councillor and Farmers' Association President Markus Ritter and Zug Cantonal Councillor Martin Pfister.
  • The party is now announcing its next steps.
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  • 3.14 p.m.

    "Expect ticket to be respected"

    "We now have two excellent candidates," says Gerhard Pfister at the end of the media conference. "We have always respected the tickets of the other parties in the past and expect them to do the same with us."

  • 3.08 p.m.

    Resignation of Cassis and Keller-Sutter?

    That is not being discussed at the moment, says Pfister. The two federal councillors show no signs of being tired of office. "I assume that they will both complete their term of office."

  • 3.06 p.m.

    "It doesn't suit everyone"

    According to Bregy, various discussions have been held. "We have many excellent candidates. But it doesn't suit everyone at the same time, there are various factors that have to be right."

  • 3.03 pm

    "Will definitely not accept the election"

    What does Gerhard Pfister say to the question of what would happen if he were suddenly elected as a candidate to blow up the party? "We have two excellent candidates. This question does not arise for me, I would definitely not accept an election."

  • 3 p.m.

    Now the party leadership informs

    Party leader Philipp Matthias Bregy and Gerhard Pfister address the media. The first question asked is why there are no women on the ticket. Bregy: "We are successfully backing women and will continue to do so in the future - this question arises less for us than for other women."

  • 2.50 pm

    Center provides information on the Federal Council ticket

    Two official candidates are on the ticket of the Center Party. They are St. Gallen National Councillor and Farmers' Association President Markus Ritter and Zug Cantonal Councillor Martin Pfister. The party is about to announce live.

The Center Party has two official candidates for the Federal Council. They are St. Gallen National Councillor and Farmers' Association President Markus Ritter and Zug Councillor Martin Pfister. This was announced by the party on Monday after the registration deadline.

The centrist party is therefore unable to fulfill its wish for a female candidate to succeed the retiring Federal Councillor Viola Amherd. Its two candidates are from the German-speaking part of Switzerland. They are two proven personalities, the Center Party wrote in a communiqué

The 57-year-old St. Gallen organic farmer Markus Ritter announced his candidacy last week. It was only on Monday morning, at the last minute so to speak, that the nomination of Martin Pfister from Zug was announced. Pfister, who is little known at federal level, is 61 years old and has been Zug's Director of Health since 2016.

Ritter is considered the favorite in the race. He is President of the Swiss Farmers' Union and is considered influential and well-connected under the Federal Palace dome. However, if he is elected, he would be the second person from St. Gallen in the national government alongside Karin Keller-Sutter (FDP).

The election of Martin Pfister would be the third time ever that a Zug citizen has been elected to the federal government. The last member of the Federal Council from Zug was Hans Hürlimann from 1974 to 1982.