SVP hardliner attacks in the SP-Revier: Valais National Councilor Addor wants to become President of the Customs Union

Unusual duel at the Garanto union: The two Valais Jean-Luc Addor (SVP) and Emmanuel Amoos (SP) run for the Presidium. SP-Mann Amoos gives the classic trade unionist. SVP representative Addor wants to score with the call for sharp border controls.

The Valais Jean-Luc Addor for the SVP has been in the National Council since 2015. There he quickly made a name for himself as a hardliner. Among other things, he called for the death penalty to reintroduce or to allow public wearing weapons.

In 2020, the Federal Supreme Court sentenced him for a violation of the racism penalty standard. The reason: The fatal shooting in a St. Gallen mosque commented on Addor in 2014 on Twitter with the words « We want more of it! »

Now the 61-year-old is aiming for an office that has been a domain of the left: Addor is running for the Presidium of the Garanto union, which represents the employees of the Federal Office of Customs and Border Protection (BAZG).

This presidium was Since the resignation of the Basel SP national councilor Sarah Wyss in July 2023 Interimistic by the two vice presidents. Before Wyss, long-time SP President Christian Levrat stood on the Garanto tip.

Protection of borders as an election argument

An SVP legal boom as union president is an « unimaginable idea » for many, wrote the Valais newspaper « Le Nouvell list » on Thursday.

« I would not run if I wouldn’t stand out any chances, » says the Valais on request. « The left has no monopoly to represent the interests of the BAZG employees for all eternity. »

His political origin is not a problem, but an opportunity. In recent years, the union has only advertised links for the interests of its members. He wanted to change that. « With me at the top, the support for the customs staff can be put on a wider political basis. »

He is part of his party’s “social wing”, emphasizes Addor. Priorities would have to be set in the federal government’s savings efforts. The customs staff does an important job, which is why it has to be spared cuts. As a guaranto president, he wanted to work for more appreciation and better working conditions for the BAZG employees.

But Addor also uses his commitment to sharper border controls-entirely on SVP line-as an argument: « I am convinced that protection of limits is important. » This applies to both migration control, which brings more security, as well as for the control of goods that generate important income.

This requires more funds. Addor refers to an application in the last budget debate 2024 for an additional CHF 20 million for the BAZG: « All parties apart from the SVP have rejected this. »

Support from Romandia and from the border guard

Addor’s opposite candidate also comes from Valais: SP National Councilor Emmanuel Amoos, 44. « Jean-Luc Addor and the SVP have agreed to the austerity measures on the hump of the Federal Personnel, » he replies.