Leader of FDP cantonal parliamentary party to stand for election to National Council in Bern

Karen Umbach is highly involved with the FDP party. Not only is she its leader in cantonal parliament, she is a member of the greater city council of Zug and a member of the Public Audit Committee. Now she has announced she is to stand for election to the National Council in Bern “because she feels the time is right for a woman member of the party to represent Zug there.”

Indeed, the 58-year-old, who runs her own advisory business, said that, when she moved to Zug twenty years ago, it was the direct democracy and open society which enthused and motivated her to become engaged in politics. “And now I want to be able to represent our successful canton with its international outlook in Bern in a credible and authentic way,” she said.

As to the three core issues she felt were most important, she mentioned she would be campaigning for an economically strong Switzerland with equal opportunities, not least with people able to combine work with raising a family. Furthermore, she felt doing an apprenticeship and studying at university should be equally highly regarded. Then she would like to see Switzerland pursue a     confident foreign policy, one linked to democracy and human rights.

As to her chances, she was confident the FDP party would continue to maintain its seat in the National Council.

As to why she in particular should be elected, she mentioned how she was the chairwoman of the Kibiz child-minding organisation in Zug and was involved in many social institutions. “The people of Zug know I am task and consensus- oriented. And it is about time a woman represented the canton in Bern,” she said.