Federal Councilor Martin Pfister: Chance of a new beginning
Chance of a new beginning: Can Martin Pfister capture the alpha animals in the Federal Council?
The hopes rest on the new: Neo-Federal Councilor Martin Pfister has the task of collapsing the state government again. He knows that too.
The Federal Council with his new member Martin Pfister (2nd from right) on Wednesday, March 12, 2025.
Karin Keller-Sutter puts her hand on his upper arm in a friendly manner when she welcomes Martin Pfister in the circle of federal councils: «Martin, I congratulate you and wish you all the best. Welcome! »
The Federal President seems to be happy about the new colleague. Even if it is said that she had prior to Pfister's competitor Markus Ritter: the change of personnel should welcome the St. Galler.
It is especially the dispute over the army budget that has been going on for two years, who, fueled the conflict, had it escalated. In addition, there were indiscretions and intrigues, through which one of the two women kept having a bad time. The wrapping struggle only ended with the replacement election for Amherd on Wednesday. It was A fight that Amherd lostthat also cost powers. Worse: It was a fight that showed the overall Federal Council as a dysfunctional group of single masks.
Consensus and collegiality
With Pfister, the state government has the chance of a fresh start. This is all the more as the Zug consensus and collegiality at the center of his inaugural speech and his first media conference. He seems to be aware of how bad the trap that the Federal Council has been doing for some time.
Collegiality would be particularly important today: The domestic political challenges for Switzerland are great to mention the outside and security policy. The country cannot afford a controversial and paralyzed government.
Pfister emphasized that he would do everything « to live in collegiality and consensus -orientedness and to defend them in the committee: Switzerland deserves and needs a Federal Council that unites and as a team can develop the manager required today. »
« Pfister will do the Federal Council »
You also hope for this in parliament. FDP national councilor Regine Sauter told “Tele Züri” that she was convinced that Pfister would make a good contribution to strengthening the Federal Council as a team. Green Group leader Aline Trede seconded that his character would « do good to the Federal Council ». And even SP-CO President Mattea Meyer, who complains that the Federal Council had slipped to the right with Pfister, emphasized that he was a « integrating personality who has a different understanding of collegiality » as a competitor Ritter.
As an example, an episode was drawn on the election day, which should show how Ritter has previously ruled with hardness and uncompromising: the green farmer and Berner National Councilor Kilian Baumann threw Ritter from the rural parliamentarian group – because his positions did not fit him. Pfister, on the other hand, has not yet left a burned earth in Bern.
What the left do not say: They hope-also in the face of the weakness of the two SP Federal Council members-that Pfister can blow up the SVP and FDP federal councilors' block and help the left positions to break through here and there. They also refer to Pfister's statements that the basis of successful government work is to include all strengths.
Can he capture the alpha animals?
It is open whether Pfister will do that. And also whether it is enforceable enough. From Zug it says that he was able to capture the SVP-FDP majority in the cantonal government. But even party friends have doubts. The St.Gallen Middle Councilor Benedikt Würth, for example. After the election, he said that he thinks a « strong personality » in the Federal Council needed: « Markus Ritter would have been like that. We will see whether Martin Pfister is developing into such a personality. »
Indeed, it should not be easy to break through the axis of the alpha animals in the Federal Council – Karin Keller -Sutter and Albert Rösti. Other voices from the Federal Council environment confirm this, but add: « Knights would not have been able to do it either. »
But the collegiality in the Federal Council has another side – and Pfister will probably not be a disappointment: Solo runs like that of Amherd can hardly imagine it. That should also be the hope of Karin Keller -Sutter – and probably explains her friendly reception.
