Mario Fehr, Sheriff of Zurich, knows everything better when it comes to security

Mario Fehr criticizes the federal government: far too slowly in asylum policy. Mario Fehr criticizes Basel-Stadt: Dilatory failure at the song contest. Some perceive the scolds as arrogant. Nevertheless, the Zurich security director is respected like a few politicians.

He upgrades the authorities in Bundesbern, the authorities in Basel-Stadt and also the Social Democrats. Some of them ask themselves: Would the left one be more successful if it were a little more like Mario Fehr?

At the end of March, the security director talks about the development of crime in the canton of Zurich. It has increased, but less strong than on the national average. Fehr talks about Afghans for a long time. They only made up 0.4 percent of the population, but were responsible for 3.9 percent of all offenses against body and life.

Fehr makes fun of the State Secretariat for Migration: The Federal Authority defined about “37 restrictions”. The reservations concern the return of Afghans. « The family relationships have to be completely intact, » Fehr mocked. He wants to force the implementation of directions, also for men from Afghanistan.

In Basel, Fehr’s statements are considered « strange »

Anyway, the asylum. Fehr asks Federal Councilor Beat Jans (SP) to process the pending asylum applications faster. Around 10,000 asylum and 3000 Status-S applications are open. «This is how the system doesn’t work. We still have too many people in the congregations without an asylum application, »criticizes Fehr.

The State Secretariat for Migration replies: The number of pending asylum requests has dropped from 16,000 to 10,000 in two years. The office wants to achieve that in 2026 « all applications are being processed ». That would be possible with 5000 to 6000 open applications.

And then the hickhack with the City Basel Security Director Stephanie Eymann (Liberal Democrats). Mario Fehr spoke of a « shame » and meant the Eurovision Song Contest. The authorities in Basel prohibited a vigil against anti -Semitism because they did not want to guarantee the security of the event. On Saturday evening there were riots during an unarmed pro-Palestine demonstration in which three police officers were injured.

Mario Fehr had refused to help the Basel security forces with Zurich cantonal policeman. In Zurich, too, some politicians found the scolding to the address of the northwestern Swiss colleagues as a nose proportion and arrogant. The Basel Security Directorate describes « the criticism from a distance » as « strange » and emphasizes that the event had been almost peaceful.

A role played that a speaking language of the Zurich was not intended for the Basel security concept. And Fehr often points out that the Zurich cantonal police have filled all their positions-unlike the police corps in Basel-Stadt. Fehr apparently had no desire to help colleagues who, in his opinion, did not do the homework.

The fact that Fehr deals against all sides shows that he certainly feels like a politician. Mario Fehr is the best chosen Zurich government council. This is remarkable because he has no party in his back. In 2021 he overturned with the Social Democrats. After the young socialists not only criticized him, but reported him, the differences with the SP were no longer to be kitten.

In migration policy, he pursues a tough course and justifies this with the security for which he is responsible in the canton of Zurich. In the social dossier, which he is also responsible, he takes classically left positions. Fehr is chosen by bourgeois sympathizers as well as by supporters of the SP.

The election success contributes to the fact that the security politician is very present in the canton of Zurich. Fehr visits hundreds of sports and celebrations, shakes thousands of hands and spreads photos of the events on social media.

Would the SP set to Fehr’s course for a high -altitude flight?

The encounters with journalists and cantonal parliamentarians, on the other hand, are not always harmonious. If Mario Fehr doesn’t fit if he feels treated unfairly, he reaches for the phone and talks and complains. It is not only determined and persistent, but also vain and thin -skinned. A member of the Security Commission says: You have to ignore Fehr’s attempts to call, then dealing with him is good.

The elector’s success as a security politician has entered him the nickname “Sheriff of Zurich”. Some Social Democrats are wondering: would the SP come back to more than 20 percent voters if they were inspired in Mario Fehr’s migration policy?

A National Council refers to Sahra Wagenknecht in Germany. The failure of her party in the federal elections, on the other hand, speaks to traditionally combine left positions with a skeptical attitude towards immigration.

However, political scientist Michael Hermann says it is noticeable how well Mario Fehr, Daniel Jositsch and Jacqueline Badran cut in elections. All three in migration policy take a rather restrictive attitude, which makes it selectable for wide circles.

Hermann restricts that the SP cannot deny itself and left and right positions cannot be combined. A party should not put off their nuclear electorate. But: There is something in it for the Social Democrats. Reflexively rejecting everything that the SVP could also like is too easy. The SP voters are concerned about the shortage of housing, which many would link to immigration.

These considerations do not need to worry about the now non -party Mario Fehr. How long will he stay in politics? He is 66 years old and has been leading the Zurich security directorate since 2011. However, observers consider it possible that Fehr will take place again in the spring of 2027 to the government council elections, brilliantly confirmed in office, continue to hold an asylum -political stroller – and the other cantons warn that they should finally hire more police officers.