Parliament gives thumbs up to official cabinet mouthpiece

Parliament has approved the idea of an official cabinet spokesperson, one of a series of changes in the law relating to the organisation of the government. The unofficial spokesman, vice-chancellor Achille Casanova, is likely to take over the new role.

Parliament has approved the idea of an official cabinet spokesperson. It is one of a series of changes in the law relating to the organisation of the government.

The new law basically rubber stamps the status quo, even though a similar proposal was turned down by parliament in 1993.

The de facto cabinet spokesman was, and is likely to remain vice-chancellor Achille Casanova, whose multilingual talents and long experience as a journalist and member of the federal chancellery have given him an unrivalled position.

Casanova is a Christian Democrat, one of the four cabinet parties. Political balance in the chancellery, which is basically the cabinet back office, is assured by having a Social Democrat as second vice-chancellor, and a Radical as chancellor.

Casanova is likely to be officially confirmed in office. He has grown into the job of cabinet spokesman at a time when cabinet and government business is getting increasingly complex, and more in need of explanation to the media and general public than ever before.

Parliament, ever jealous of cabinet privileges, justified the appointment of a permanent spokesman by pointing to difficulties in co-ordinating official information on delicate issues such as mad cow disease, or fraud cases in the defence ministry.

by Peter Haller