In Switzerland, former federal councilors usually hold back in the voting campaign. That’s why it causes a stir when five bourgeois federal councilors jointly oppose the 13th AHV pension in an urgent letter.
The letter has a haunting tone. “We are reaching out to you today with serious concerns,” the authors write. “It’s about the popular initiative for a 13th AHV pension. What sounds tempting is extremely dangerous.”
It is the senders who make the letter unusual: five middle-class former Federal Council members. Adolf Ogi (81, SVP), Doris Leuthard (60, center) and Johann Schneider-Ammann (71, FDP) signed the German version of the letter and Joseph Deiss (78, center) and Pascal Couchepin (81, FDP) signed the French version of the letter.
“The 13th AHV pension would cause additional costs of 5 billion francs annually,” warn the five former magistrates. “For this to happen, VAT would have to be increased by 1 percent by 2026. That would make life more expensive for everyone.” The AHV is generally facing major financial challenges: “In just six years, current pensions will no longer be covered by income.”
It is the alliance “No to the 13th AHV pension” that is currently sending the letter from the former federal councilors to around 700,000 pensioners in German-speaking Switzerland, as “20 Minuten” writes. In French-speaking Switzerland, the letter appears as an advertisement in regional newspapers.
Ruth Dreifuss criticizes the coordinated appearance
In Switzerland it is rather unusual for former magistrates to get involved in a voting campaign. It is all the more unusual when it happens on such a massive scale. For Ruth Dreifuss (83, SP), Interior Minister from 1993 to 2002, this goes too far. Dreifuss promoted equal rights for women with the 10th AHV revision.
“I find it strange and unusual that middle-class former Federal Council members make coordinated statements in order to give their voting recommendation more strength,” says Dreifuss. There are always cases in which a single former member of the government speaks out, some more, others less. “I usually hold back, but I am currently personally committed to voting yes to the 13th AHV pension,” she says. “I know this work enough to be able to explain it to citizens and explain the consequences of the initiative.”
Former Federal Councilor Micheline Calmy-Rey (78, SP) finds the appearance less problematic. “As former federal councilors, we are free people,” she says. The five Federal Councilors were apparently afraid that the 13th AHV pension would be accepted. “I personally am in favor of the 13th AHV pension,” she emphasizes. “People of retirement age are experiencing difficult times. They have to make do with very little financial resources because everything has become more expensive – like rent and health insurance premiums. And the AHV pensions were not adjusted to the cost of living.”
Pascal Couchepin confirms that he participated in the letter. “It is in Switzerland’s interest that this vote results in a no. A yes to the 13th AHV pension would be very dangerous for the future of the AHV.” He doesn’t find the joint appearance with a colleague and three colleagues problematic: “Why should it be undemocratic if federal councilors express themselves together to support the government’s position? There is nothing against it.”
It also happened in the past that several former Federal Councilors interfered in a voting campaign. This happened almost excessively in 2013. Ten former Federal Council members joined together in the No Committee against the popular election of the Federal Council.
SGB chief economist addresses the high Federal Council pension
The Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB), which launched the initiative for a 13th AHV pension, is not happy about the action. “The former Federal Councilors do not mention in their letter that the financial situation of pensioners has worsened,” said chief economist Daniel Lampart to “20 Minutes”. They also wouldn’t suggest how to solve this problem.
“Instead they are trying to scare the population,” says Lampart. “With their Federal Council pension of over 20,000 francs per month, they have probably forgotten what it is like to make ends meet on 2,000 francs.”