The customs arena for Trump and Co.
SRF
Badran with laughing attack in the customs « arena »: « This great madman, insane clown has to go»
From the customs hammer to customs chaos. How should official Switzerland react to it? The answers in the “arena” from SRF range from a laughing attack to beef.
A wild ride. So one could describe what has happened on the stages of world politics and the global economy in the past few weeks.
The second customs «arena» in a row: moderator Sandro Brotz with his (new) guests.
- Thierry Burkart, President FDP
- Jacqueline Badran, Vice President SP
- Werner Salzmann, Council of States SVP/BE
- Benedikt Würth, Council of States the center/SG
What happened so far:
On Wednesday last week, US President Donald Trump everyone headed when he announced nationwide punitive tariffs for his trading partners. Switzerland met particularly hard with 31 percent tariffs on import products.
The following days, the stock exchanges broke internationally, China decided to match and the EU also announced countermeasures.
On Wednesday, when the US tariff came into force, everything turned out differently: Trump announced that the United States would take the high tariffs for most countries for 90 days.
However, tariffs of 10 percent remain (in the case of China it is 145 percent on Friday evening). And the uncertainty remains: What happens when the 90 days are up?
Negotiate or do nothing?
The big question of this “arena” came quickly, and Brotz first exhibited SP Vice President Jacqueline Badran: What was the best reaction to Donald Trump’s customs hammer? The answer followed just as promptly and surprisingly shortly:
Jacqueline Badran, SP:
«Imagine that Cédric Wermuth would have been on the listener. He would have just insulted Trump at first. »
He should be on Wermuth’s “Fu ** you, Mr. Trump”-post played that he had dropped in the white house after the scandal with Selenskyj. But Badran was also able to insult, as she demonstrated several times:
Jacqueline Badran, SP:
« It is important that you react prudently and not emotionally. »
But what does that mean specifically?
It quickly became apparent that countermeasures all refused that evening. Even Badran, which deviated from the party line. Because the SP party tip had previously spoken out for countermeasures. Badran stayed with it:
Jacqueline Badran, SP:
« The Federal Council should now work closely with the Swiss economy. »
And: diversify the trade and reduce economic dependencies. Or as Badran called it: « Derisking ». Switzerland should not give Trump “negotiating mass” and make concessions.
So much unity in an « arena »? Betef still existed – in two ways.
SP-Vice and FDP President are exchanged exchange
Half of the show was reached when Brotz dazzled Burkart. In an interview, the latter had proposed that Switzerland could negotiate with the USA about the tariffs for individual US products and, for example, exclude beef from the agricultural tubes that Switzerland is currently raising.
Badran laughed in the background and called « So negotiate! ». Burkart continued unmoved, while the SP Vice President soon shook her way before laughing: to lift the beef duties, Switzerland would not hurt, but it could make a difference for the United States.
Surprisingly, the subsequent conflict did not develop between Burkart and the SVP man and agricultural representative Salzmann. No, it was Badran who – now caught – was aimed at Burkart. It was « ridiculous » to think that Switzerland can do something with such a proposal. And again:
Jacqueline Badran to Thierry Burkart:
Here Badran has a laughing attack – including explanation (video: SRF)
« If we are in tariffs at 31 percent, it is threatening for Switzerland. »
Politics must now look for constructive solutions. He accused the SP not to participate. SVP Council of States Salzmann, of all people, who had given the Botz’s floor. Although he was not pleased with the beef proposal, Salzmann said, but now understand how Burkart came to this statement.
SVP Council of States Salzmann, of all people, who had given the Botz’s floor. Although he was not pleased with the beef proposal, Salzmann said, but now understand how Burkart came to this statement.
The Trump trap
But actually they didn’t want to negotiate the politicians present. Center Councilor Benedikt Würth switched himself into an exchange of blows:
Benedikt Würth, center:
