Candidates for the Council of States spend a lot on the election campaign
More money is flowing into the current Council of States election campaign than ever before. This is revealed by research carried out by Schweiz am Wochenende.
The newspaper asked candidates to disclose their campaign budgets. Not all of them were equally transparent. For example, SVP National Councillor and Weltwoche publisher Roger Köppel "as an advocate of financial privacy as a right of freedom for our citizens" is shrouded in silence. According to expert estimates, however, he is likely to be the "undisputed number one among the financially strong candidates". According to insiders, Köppel's election campaign will cost at least half a million, writes the newspaper.
Other candidates are laying their cards on the table. SP National Councillor Cédric Wermuth is paying a whopping 300,000 francs to enter the Stöckli. He is paying CHF 10,000 himself, the party CHF 90,000 and CHF 200,000 has so far been raised through donations - including crowdfunding.
Zurich FDP candidate Ruedi Noser also has a proud budget of CHF 250,000 at his disposal. It will be financed by fundraising from the cantonal party. The Aargau FDP National Councillor Thierry Burkart has budgeted CHF 170,000, but has already raised CHF 200,000 - mainly from private individuals. Regula Rytz from the Green Party also has more money available than planned: She had budgeted 50,000 francs, but thanks to donations this has now reached 70,000 francs. Rytz is covering around 30,000 francs of this herself.
Conclusion of the survey: the jump to the Stöckli is becoming more and more expensive. According to political consultant and lobbyist Walter Stüdeli, the resources used have "increased dramatically" in the last eight years. He advises Councillor of States Hans Stöckli. Stöckli's budget: 290,000 francs.
There are major cantonal differences. The newspaper writes of a "two-tier society". Switzerland at the weekend. While little money flows in small cantons, in large ones - such as Zurich, Aargau or Bern - there is no chance for those who don't dig deep into their wallets. In the canton of Aargau, the four main candidates spend around 850,000 francs, in Zurich even more.
This contrasts with the cantons of Obwalden, Nidwalden and Appenzell Innerrhoden, for example: Because there are no opposing candidates, the representatives from the CVP and FDP have already been confirmed as members of the Council of States. Nevertheless, Erich Ettlin (CVP, OW) does not want to miss out on appearances altogether - he will be visiting all seven municipalities in the canton on his Vespa as planned.
Political scientist Georg Lutz points out in an interview that although more money brings more votes, it alone is not enough to get elected. Awareness is more important in major elections. This could be increased with a campaign. Candidates who are already in the Council of States, well-connected and capable of winning a majority would have an advantage.
