Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis spoke out strongly in favour of the treaties in front of his party’s delegates.
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The Swiss Radical-Liberal Party is in principle in favour of the new package of agreements negotiated by the European Union and Switzerland. Party delegates in Bern voted 330-104 to support the packages. Nine delegates abstained from voting.
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Before the vote, supporters and opponents of the deal had crossed swords in a debate lasting a good two hours. The continuation of the bilateral approach is not an option, but a strategic necessity, said Simon Michel, a parliamentarian and entrepreneur from Solothurn.
The Radical-Liberals had drawn up a catalogue of demands for negotiations with the EU in 2022, said Neuchâtel parliamentarian and parliamentary group leader Damien Cottier. The demands had been met, he said.
Opponents, however, warned against the treaty package. Acceptance would perhaps initially stabilise relations with the EU, said Zurich politician Filippo Leutenegger. However, this would be followed by the growth of bureaucracy, he argued; parliament and the rights of the people would also be weakened.
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Bernese member of parliament Christian Wasserfallen warned against becoming “irreversibly” tied to the EU. Although there are problems with the United States at the moment, “Washington has an expiry date”, he said. The EU is about much more overtime.
Foreign minister: direct democracy remains
Early in the debate, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis spoke out strongly in favour of the treaties. Without new agreements, the bilateral approach would come to an end, he said. Switzerland would then gradually lose its privileged access to the European single market.
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The package strengthens independence, because only an economically strong country can remain sovereign, the Radical-Liberal minister argued: “And very importantly, our direct democracy will remain intact.”
It is still unclear whether the Radical-Liberals want to demand a double majority, of the people and of the cantons, in any future referendum on the treaty package. This question was to be decided later on Saturday.
Translated from German with DeepL/gw
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