Because one term is not enough - why gentleman farmer Peter Hegglin of the CVP party wants to keep his seat in the Council of States

Peter Hegglin, a former director of finance of the canton of Zug who represents the canton in the Council of States, recently spoke to a journalist of the Zuger Zeitung in one of his favourite restaurants, the Ochsen in Menzingen (photograph).

When asked why he was standing for re-election, he mentioned that one needs more than one period of legislature, ideally two or three, to get things that one wanted through, the first period being mainly one concerned with getting to known one’s fellow parliamentarians and building up a network.

When asked what he felt he had achieved over the past four years, he mentioned the compromise achieved relating to the National Equalisation Fund (NFA) and the Corporation Tax Reform, both of which he was very much involved with in the background.

When it was pointed out that, while these two bills he was involved got through, ten others did not. Did he belong to a group of parliamentarians who were less active?

“It is not the job of parliamentarians in the Council of States to introduce too many motions as there are already too many of these. However, my success rate is higher than it may appear. While many motions were not taken up, they were very much discussed in committees which meant they could be processed more quickly.”

When he was asked about a statement he had made on his website about “the sustainable protection of nature”, he said that as early as 1992 he had restructured the farm he then ran to run on organic lines. And he continues to endeavour to create as little waste as possible.

As to how he might bring this philosophy into politics, he mentioned how, for example, he felt cars should be made smaller, not bigger, thereby reducing the amount of petrol needed. “As to the protests by young people on this matter, I hope they will not just demonstrate, but act.”

“Is it not that you are simply climbing on the same bandwagon as the young people to enhance your image?”

“I have been following such a philosophy relating to the sustainable protection of nature for a long time now. It is just that I have highlighted this issue at present, though it is just one of many important matters.”

As to what he understands by optimum economic conditions, he said that it was not just important that Zug remained an important economic location, but that the views of its people were heard. “And with the acceptance of amendments to the NFA and the Corporation Tax Reform, this has been done.”

As to other issues he wanted to highlight, he mentioned help for old people, an area in which he had gained experience having once been chairman of the Zug Pension Fund. Then he would like to see a reduction in health costs, too.

It was mentioned how Hegglin was chairman of no fewer than ten organisations such as the Milk Marketing Board and the Swiss Network of Mineral Raw Materials. To what extent did his position in such roles influence his role in parliament?

“No direct influence at all.”

It was further mentioned he was involved in 19 organisations privately. Was he active in all of them?

“I try to attend all the AGMs and various functions. And I do regularly attend further training courses offered by the Zug Apiarists’ Association.”

When asked what bees meant to him, he explained how his father also kept them on the family farm and when he died, he had to make up his mind whether to keep them or not. In the end, he decided to keep them for nature-sustainability reasons. As to how he finds the time, “I just have to find it,” he said.