Obituary for Vreni Spoerry – Grande Dame of Zurich Free Right

Nobody embodied the close integration of business and politics more than FDP politician Vreni Spoerry. The Zurich woman was « pushed » into politics – and for a long time was one of the most influential politicians in the country.

Vreni Spoerry is said to have eaten cars, at that time in the Harmonie restaurant in Bern. Eight parliamentarians from the four federal council parties sat together and forged a compromise: the new VAT law. The introduction of this consumption tax was previously rejected by the people three times, and the then finance minister Otto Stich also found it anti -social. But the voting population in 1993 was the good -owned compromise, in which Vreni Spoerry was significantly involved. Years later, she will say in an SRF portrait: « To find the balance between the different interests is the core content of politics. »

Vreni Spoerry died at the age of 87, as the Zurich City Councilor Filippo Leutenegger confirmed to the “Tages-Anzeiger” on behalf of the FDP.

She was the Grand lady of Zurich Free Right. And nobody embodied the close integration between politics and business in the 1990s better than the lawyer. A veteran SP politician of this newspaper once said: Vreni Spoerry was not simply a water carrier, but explained politics to the economy-and gave the tariff through.

The right of voting and youth sin

Spoerry, the contractor Toneteti’s daughter, came into politics by chance. After the Handelschmatura, she studied law at the University of Zurich – as one of twelve women. She described the father as a patriarch, but he encouraged her like a boy. Spoerry wanted to become a hotels secretary – however, the father advised her to the trading grade.

Spoerry grew up in a privileged parents’ house in Rapperswil. And even if the father did not believe in equality: she did not find any disadvantage. And so in 1958 she spoke against the right of women at the Jungbürger celebration in the town hall of Rapperswil in 1958. « A youth sin, » she said later. For this purpose, she co -responsibly made two overzealous teachers who wanted to win for the right to vote. “The teachers had experienced discrimination in training, and they certainly earned less than their male colleagues. We did not understand their legitimate frustration, »said Spoerry once the NZZ.

Spoerry quickly revised the opinion on women’s voting rights. And she would never have described herself as a feminist – but she made herself strong for equality. Christiane Brunner, the recently deceased SP party icon, once said the WOZ: “Feminism is not necessarily a question from left or right. In the Equal Opportunities Act, for example, I had help from Vreni Spoerry, a very rich freestyle from Zurich. There was also a reason for them to fight for equality, even though it was liberal. Most of the men, on the other hand, have been moving. »

Finances as a point of crystallization of politics

The FDP in Horgen became aware of Spoerry when she spoke about what was then a woman’s podium in 1974 about the patronized marriage and inheritance law. Spoerry initially became a member of the auditing commission, later a municipal councilor, cantonal councilor and 1983 National Councilor. From 1996 to 2003 she represented the canton of Zurich in the Council of States. Rather atypical for a woman at the time, she made finance her topic that she was the « crystallization point » in politics. This gives you an insight into all topics.

In parallel to politics, Spoerry made a career in the economy – because « women were sought with the magnifying glass ». The board mandates were well known and made them one of the most influential politicians in the country: Swiss loan (later Credit Suisse), Zurich Versicherung, Nestlé and the Swissair.

The Grounding of the Swissair in 2001 scratched the impeccable reputation of Spoerry. She not only had to answer (and was acquitted) in court, but also felt the resentment of the population. «I no longer dared to go to a restaurant after grounding. I couldn’t sleep at night. My husband and I drove together to the Bündnerland on vacation. He told me: ‘Pull a sun hat and sunglasses, then you don’t know!’ We hiked on hidden paths and avoiding restaurants. At that time I ran the risk of being spat off, »she told the » Auser « day ago.

Her entire work was reduced to the Swissair debacle. Spoerry was a politician that was respected across the party borders. Rational, direct and straightforward. Even late after her career, she commented on political issues. Preferably write – on the letter to the editor of the NZZ.