Centre Party’s Franziska Biner elected to Valais government

Centre Party candidates Franziska Biner and Christophe Darbellay won most votes in the Valais government ballot. Keystone-SDA

Voters in canton Valais in southern Switzerland elected Franziska Biner to the cantonal government in the first round of voting, beating off more established politicians. The Centre Party candidate from Zermatt is only the second woman to join the Valais government in its history.

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According to the final results, Franziska Biner received 51,149 votes, 729 more than the absolute majority. She beat her Centre Party running mate Christophe Darbellay (2nd, 41,376).

Four years after the withdrawal of Esther Waeber-Kalbermatten, Franziska Biner is the second woman to enter the Valais government.

Mathias Reynard of the left-wing Social Democratic Party came third (41,368), ahead of Franz Ruppen of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (37,341).

In fifth place was Stéphane Ganzer of the centre-right Radical-Liberal Party (32,692 votes).

Green Party candidate Emmanuel Revaz (19,540) came sixth and withdrew from a second round of voting. As a result the four above-mentioned male candidates will also join Biner in the new Valais government.

Turnout was 45.57%, compared with 60.84% in 2021.

Adapted from German by DeepL/sb

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