Villiger looks back over a long career

Kaspar Villiger headed the finance ministry through tough times for the economy Keystone

The Swiss finance minister, Kaspar Villiger, is leaving the cabinet at the end of 2003 after 14 years in the government.

He had been expected to resign last year, but stayed on and saw through the conclusion of an important agreement with the European Union on the taxation of savings.

Villiger told swissinfo he was satisfied with his achievements during his term in office, first as defence minister and later as finance minister.

swissinfo: Do you feel justified that you stayed on the extra year?

Kaspar Villiger: Yes, I do. Last year I said that I had some targets, and when I look back at this year I feel that we’ve made some progress in all fields, such as the taxation of savings within Europe and the reduction of expenditure. I think it was good to stay on as I can now leave my successor with a better situation.

swissinfo: What were the most impressive moments for you during your 14 years in government?

K.V.: I started in government when the Berlin wall came down and I think that was an extremely interesting period. At that time I was defence minister and we pushed through the first great reforms in Switzerland’s defence policies.

We had a very difficult time with the economic situation in the nineties. We had to solve a few problems, but then we came back to growth.

One of my greatest moments was when I told the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York that Switzerland would become a member and that this was the wish of the Swiss people. At that moment I was very proud of my country.

swissinfo: Is the trend of Switzerland embracing the world, such as becoming a member of the UN, something you would like to see continued?

K.V.: I think this movement – with or without membership of the EU – must continue. We depend much more on what happens in other countries than we think. If the US or China emits too much CO2, our glaciers will begin to melt. If we have civil wars in the Balkans or in Sri Lanka, the refugees will come to Switzerland. When we have a financial crisis in the Far East, Credit Suisse fires people.

We depend on everything that happens abroad, and the Swiss people have realised that. That’s why we have to continue defending our interests wherever we can. I think our relations with our biggest customer and client, the EU, are quite important.

You know that we are currently negotiating the bilateral agreements, and I think in the next few years we will have to make a decision where we can best defend our interests – within or outside the EU.

swissinfo: Has the continuous questioning of Switzerland’s banking secrecy been one of your bugbears in recent years?

K.V.: You know we have a big financial centre and this centre is important for our economy, and one of our best qualities is customer confidentiality. Banking secrecy has changed dramatically in the last few years, because it does not protect crimes such as money laundering.

However, we want to maintain a certain confidentiality and that is why we are trying to find a solution that helps the EU and that protects our own legislation, and I think we’ve found a very valuable compromise.

swissinfo: Do you have any regrets over the past 14 years? Are there any things you wish you’d done differently?

K.V.: In politics you always have disappointments, but when I look back I think the positive things are more important, and I think it was a great and fascinating time. I have never regretted taking the decision to leave economics and join politics. I think being a minister in our wonderful country for 14 years is a privilege.

swissinfo: How difficult is it going to be to step back into private life, and no longer be a public figure?

K.V.: This might not be too easy for me, but on the other hand I am a man who can be alone. I like to study and contemplate. I certainly will survive.

swissinfo-interview: Jonathan Summerton

Villiger summary

Kaspar Villiger was born on February 5, 1941.
On the death of his father, Villiger, then aged just 25, took over the management of the family’s cigar factory, Villiger & Sons, near Lucerne.
He expanded the firm by buying a bicycle factory in Buttisholz.
He was elected to the government in February 1989.
The Radical politician from canton Lucerne was twice Swiss president – in 1995 and 2002.
From 1989 to 1995, Villiger was in charge of the defence ministry.
From 1995 until 2003, he headed the finance ministry.