Cabinet newcomers steer clear of controversy

Big-hitters Blocher (left) and Merz have been keeping a low profile Keystone

The two new cabinet members from the Right - Christoph Blocher and Hans-Rudolf Merz - have failed so far to engineer a change in political direction.

Their first three months in office have been characterised by a surprising lack of confrontation, but the general view is that battle has yet to be joined.

It was expected that sparks would fly in the new-look cabinet, elected by parliament on December 10 last year.

In a political upset, instead of two representatives from the moderate centre two politicians from the Right were elected to the executive: Christoph Blocher, a key figure in the Swiss People’s Party, and Hans-Rudolf Merz, a member of the Radicals.

The Left warned of heavy attacks on the social security system, and an end to government by consensus. The Right, on the other hand, predicted a much-needed change of direction, which would give fresh impetus to the economy and reduce state intervention.

And both sides anticipated confrontation from the very first cabinet meeting.

Little change

Three months on, the situation is still relatively calm, and commentators are struggling to detect even the first signs of a change in political direction.

It is true that Blocher and Merz seem even more obsessed than their predecessors with ways of reducing public expenditure.

But last year – even before they were elected – government and parliament had already agreed on the most drastic programme of spending cuts in Swiss history, amounting to SFr3.5 billion ($2.77 billion).

In the absence of major decisions or initiatives to analyse, the media have found very little to get their teeth into and have had to be content with chewing over the style and statements of the two new cabinet ministers.

Merz under pressure

In the early days, Merz let slip some unguarded comments, which caused a few raised eyebrows.

“He earned a reputation for talking too freely,” says the “Basler Zeitung”. “He was obliged to change his ways and issue some denials. But he has now become more cautious.”

However, Merz’s frank, friendly and open style is appreciated by the press and – if the papers are to be believed – by his cabinet colleagues, even those on the Left.

Nevertheless, the “Berner Zeitung” predicts that Merz will not retain his reputation as a “nice guy” for very long. The programme of spending cuts he is due to present in the summer “will hit many sectors hard: the cantons, pensioners, federal employees, farmers and all those in receipt of state subsidies”, according to the paper.

But it is not only his political opponents who are putting the new finance minister under pressure, comments the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung”. Pressure is also coming from “the people who elected him and who want to see a rapid implementation of their political agenda: lower taxes and less state interference”.

And, already, the man called to restore the federal finances is engaged in an apparently losing battle: that of persuading the people to accept in May a package of measures that will wipe billions off the public spending programme.

Uncharacteristic reserve

For his part, Christoph Blocher has managed to persuade his colleagues to remove the objective of joining the European Union from the current programme of parliamentary legislation. However, he has not been able to get them to withdraw the membership application already forwarded to Brussels.

But the most striking thing about the rightwing populist has been his uncharacteristic reserve. The press, which for years berated him for his intemperate outbursts, now seems slightly irritated by his silence, which has been interpreted in various ways.

“Blocher is in stand-by mode. He is getting to grips with his department,” is the view of the “Tribune de Genève”.

“Blocher has taken his role as a member of the government seriously,” affirms the weekly “Facts”. “But after 100 days it is already clear that his power to take decisions and his room for manoeuvre are limited.”

Disappointed cartoonists

The serious, hard-working attitudes adopted by Merz and Blocher have not gone down well with the political cartoonists. The two ministers have not so far provided them with much inspiration.

“One cannot help being nostalgic for the days when Blocher was in opposition,” says Patrick Chappatte, on the staff of the daily “Le Temps”, as he waits impatiently for the first contradictory signals or gaffes on the part of the new ministers.

For “24 Heures”, we are merely witnessing the calm before the storm. “So far Merz and Blocher have been busy making minor savings in their departments. But now they are firmly established, they are bound to go full-steam ahead.”

And, in fact, a recent cartoon in the paper depicts Blocher and Merz driving a steamroller.

In a reference to their almost 100 days in power, the two ministers are shown driving at over 100 kilometres per hour. In their path is a woman with two children – likely victims of cuts in social services – desperately trying to move out of the way.

swissinfo, Armando Mombelli

In brief

Since January 1, Christoph Blocher (Swiss People’s Party) has been head of the justice and police ministry.

Hans-Rudolf Merz (Radical Party) took over at the finance ministry on the same day.