Politics not just the preserve of the middle-aged or elderly

While they may be in the majority, not all politicians are middle aged or elderly. Laura Dittli of the CVP party and Andreas Meier of the SVP party (photograph) were born as recently as in 1991 yet both already sit in the cantonal parliament representing Oberägeri.
 
“It was a very exciting time for me, standing and experiencing an electoral campaign,” said Dittli, who has just qualified as a lawyer. “I think young people should be there, representing the electorate, making their own contribution and ensuring their interests are known. After all, the cantonal parliament should be a true reflection of society, shouldn’t it?” she said. “We do not just work along with representatives of the individual municipalities but with the party, too. Of course, as young people, we also enjoy a certain level of fools’ licence.”
 
Andreas Meier came to be a member of the cantonal parliament through the resignation of Thomas Wyss. At present, the trained multi-skilled mechanic is studying at the Technikhochschule in Rapperswil, part of the University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland. Like Dittli, he sees his youth as an advantage. He feels, too, that it is only right young people are represented in parliament, “We are the future, after all,” he said. He went on to say how young people brought in new ideas, not having been tainted as some older politicians may have been, and likely to be more neutral when it comes to any conflict of interests.
 
Actually being a member of the cantonal parliament, where sessions take place only one a month is far less time consuming than sitting on a council, though of course there are also committee meetings to attend.
 
Both Dittli and Meier were encouraged to stand by their respective parties. “My father has been on the council for eight years now, so I feel I have always been closely involved with politics,” said Meier. For her part, Dittli said she had thought about standing for a long time, though she was aware she had a good chance of winning.
 
Indeed the various political parties of Oberägeri see practically only advantages in having young representatives. “Young people have the future in front of them and the future is what most politics is about,” said Abi Iten, the president of the CVP party of Oberägeri.
 
“As a result of their youth and recent experience of school and in going out, young people are more close to matters which affect the canton of Zug at present,” said Claudio Granja, president of the local SVP party, “though of course, whether you have influence in parliament is nothing to do with age.”
 
Philipp Röllin of the Oberägeri Forum added, “What is good about young people is that they are not biased and more open. This can be an advantage but need not necessarily be so. What is important for us is that those who represent us should be engaged in the community. With Dittli playing music as she does, and Meier with his involvement in the Fasnacht celebrations, both of them clearly are.”
 
Peter Held, the president of the FDP party, said that know-how, competence, experience in private and professional life, not to mention in business life, are what counts when it comes to politicians, whether at cantonal parliamentarian or at any other level.