Election campaign donations: Press Council agrees with Tages-Anzeiger
The Swiss Press Council has rejected a complaint by Thurgau SVP National Councillor Peter Spuhler and his wife Daniela Spuhler-Hoffmann against the Tages-Anzeiger.
In February, before the municipal elections in the city of Zurich, the Tages-Anzeiger reported that Daniela Spuhler-Hoffmann, herself a member of the SVP, was supporting city councillor Andres Türler (FDP) in the election campaign and thus a candidate from the political competition. The journalist asked Daniela Spuhler about her reasons. He asked whether the support beyond party lines could possibly have business reasons: on the one hand, Türler heads the industrial companies and thus the transport companies of the city of Zurich. On the other hand, Spuhler's company Stadler Rail is involved in the tender for a new generation of streetcars in Zurich. Spuhler-Hoffmann clearly contradicted this.
According to the Press Council, it was permissible to ask these questions. The rules of professional ethics had not been violated. There was also no damage to reputation. "Ms. Spuhler was given the opportunity to express herself, which she did confidently", the press release from Tuesday states. The questions were also embedded in a larger political context and supplemented with statements from various camps. Only the presentation of the report with a large photo of the Spuhler-Hoffmann couple was considered questionable by the Press Council. However, such weightings were at the discretion of the editorial team. It therefore rejected the complaint.
According to the Press Council, it was permissible to ask these questions. The rules of professional ethics had not been violated. There was also no damage to reputation. "Ms. Spuhler was given the opportunity to express herself, which she did confidently", the press release from Tuesday states. The questions were also embedded in a larger political context and supplemented with statements from various camps. Only the presentation of the report with a large photo of the Spuhler-Hoffmann couple was considered questionable by the Press Council. However, such weightings were at the discretion of the editorial team. It therefore rejected the complaint.
