SVP Federal Council candidate Hans-Ueli Vogt in an interview
1/5
The Zurich ex-SVP national councilor Hans-Ueli Vogt is a candidate for the Federal Council.
Interview: Danny Smurf
Mr. Vogt, you are a candidate for the Federal Council. Does that surprise you?
Hans-Ueli Vogt: This was not apparent until recently. Several potential candidates from the canton of Zurich declined. At the same time, more and more people approached me and said I was the right candidate. Seen in this way, it is a surprise for me that I am a candidate today.
Doesn’t it bother you that you only got involved after the cancellation of the SVP heavyweights?
no It is quite normal for incumbent politicians to act first.
You don’t belong to the Blocher wing, you are not part of the inner circle of the Zurich SVP. Do you even pass as a representative of this cantonal party?
I hope that no Bundesrat candidate comes forward with the understanding that they represent a specific section. I am a candidate with beliefs and values consistent with SVP. That’s why the cantonal party nominated me. But I am not a representative of a party section.
In any case, “Weltwoche” author Christoph Mörgeli was happy that the Zurich lion was now attacking the Bernese bear. Are you happy about this support?
This aspect has a certain relevance. It is legitimate for the Canton of Zurich to be represented in the Bundesrat. It starts with the economic importance. In fiscal equalization, the canton of Zurich is the top donor and the canton of Berne is the top recipient.
Albert Rösti from Bern is a doctor of agronomy, you are a law professor. Does this dispute between scholars depict the SVP? What happened to the Peasant Party?
The SVP stands up for freedom and independence. These are values with a proximity to rural Switzerland. We can express them beautifully with cows and Ehringer cows. But the share of voters for the SVP is almost 30 percent. That can only be people who live in the country. Among our constituents & many city dwellers & people in agglomerations are those who would rather go to the gym than to a pasture or stable. Together, Albert Rösti from Kandersteg and I cover the entire spectrum.
Rosti is considered a favorite. Aren’t you afraid of defeat?
In a conversation with the cantonal party, I said early on and without being asked: I’m going because I’m not afraid of losing. I’ve always been inspired by people who show greatness even in defeat – like Roger Federer, for example.
Sounds like you’ve already given up forfait!
On the contrary. Only those who do not fear defeat can fight freely. I lost in my political career, for example with the self-determination initiative, which was rejected by the people. But I got up and kept going.
You drafted this initiative back then. But three months before the vote, SIE replaces your party with Thomas Matter as campaign leader. Wasn’t that an affront?
Not at all. The campaign was developed and led by the party. I always thought that was right, I was happy for the support.
Personally
Hans-Ueli Vogt (52) at the University of Zurich Law. There he was appointed full professor for private and commercial law in 2013. As an SVP politician, he was elected to the Zurich Cantonal Council in 2011 and to the National Council in 2015. He is considered the father of the self-determination initiative. At the end of 2021 he resigned from Parliament. Last Wednesday, he announced his candidacy for the vacant Federal Council seat from Ueli Maurer.
Hans-Ueli Vogt (52) at the University of Zurich Law. There he was appointed full professor for private and commercial law in 2013. As an SVP politician, he was elected to the Zurich Cantonal Council in 2011 and to the National Council in 2015. He is considered the father of the self-determination initiative. At the end of 2021 he resigned from Parliament. Last Wednesday, he announced his candidacy for the vacant Federal Council seat from Ueli Maurer.
That sounds very harmonious. But your counter-proposal to the Responsible Business Initiative also caused a dispute with your own party. You also clearly deviated from the party line on marriage for all.
Evaluations of the voting behavior in parliament show that as a member of the National Council I am slightly to the right of the middle of the SVP spectrum. If you want to classify me politically, you shouldn’t rush to the few points where there was a difference.
You are considered an introverted professor. Does that fit the profile of a Federal Councilor?
I have ten years of political experience. As a member of parliament, I brought my convictions and values to the table and worked with associations and organizations. As a professor, I led teams for 20 years. In fact, I also have an inward side and appreciate the personal contact in dialogue. That appeals to me more than an event in a full Rössli hall with beer and singing. However, this quality hardly contradicts the requirements of a Federal Councilor.
You’ll never walk around in a Trychler shirt either?
No, but nobody in the city of Zurich wears a Trychler shirt either. The concept of being close to the people intuitively ties in with the image of the countryside. But in Zurich, being close to the people means something different. For example, that I talk to people on the tram or in the gym who approach me because they saw me on TV.
They appear conciliatory, and Albert Rösti is not a Polteri either. Is the era of total SVP opposition over?
Nothing must change in the role of the SVP. It takes a party that slows down the most diverse developments. Be it in the energy debate, in tax policy or on the gender issue. Another question is who will make himself available for the Bundesrat. This should be someone who can convince with arguments and sees solutions where others only see the opposite.
Don’t you then run the risk of ending up as “half a member of the Federal Council”?
Looking for solutions does not mean simply giving in. It’s about pursuing your own goals without leaving the other person empty-handed. That is more promising than simply insisting on one’s own position.
Why should Parliament elect you?
I am a person of strong values and beliefs and Parliament knows what they are. But if you have a concern, I listen. I don’t want to be a sun king, but down-to-earth as I am. I can deal with people and lead them. And I think I have the right attitude towards the task and the country.