Tabea Zimmermann Gibson also to stand in re-election for second seat in Council of States along with Heinz Taennler and Matthias Michel

It has been announced that Tabea Zimmermann Gibson of the Alternative Green Party is to stand alongside Heinz Tännler of the SVP party and Matthias Michel of the FDP party in the re-election for the second seat in the Council of States in Bern on Sunday 17 November, the first seat having been won unquestionably by Peter Hegglin of the 19,909 votes.

As previously reported, there was a difference of only 83 votes between those achieved by Michel (16,852) and those achieved by Tännler (16,769), Zimmermann having obtained 8,200. All the other candidates at the initial election, namely Barbara Gysel of the SP (Social Democratic) Party (7,898), Andrea Sidler Weiss (independent) (2,598) and Stefan Thöni of the Parat (Prepared) party, (1,626) have opted not to stand for re-election. In Gysel’s case, she has been incapacitated since August as the result of an accident.

It was mentioned how it was extremely rare for a re-election to take place in the canton of Zug.

Speaking in his capacity as the leader of the of the cantonal ALG party, Andreas Lustenberger gave his support to his party colleague, saying that Zimmermann Gibson was an engaged and experienced politician. Despite the big difference in the number of votes she received in the initial election compared with Hegglin, Tännler and Michel, Lustenberger said she had a chance in winning, bearing in mind he felt voters wanted to see a candidate who was not of the mainstream standing.

For her part, Zimmermann Gibson said she wanted to tap into the positive energy resulting from the recent climate and women’s strikes, adding how she felt the Council of States would benefit from greater diversity and women power.

Speaking in her capacity as leader of the cantonal FDP party, Carina Brüngger said she was confident Michel would win, saying he was the ideal man for the job and the Council needed the moderate voice of the FDP. As Michel himself said, gaining a seat in the Council of States is a logical step on from his years in office as a member of the cantonal government and the effects this had at inter-cantonal level, commenting on how the people of the canton of Zug had given him their support last Sunday.

For his part, Tännler mentioned how much he had caught up with Michel when compared with elections to the cantonal government. “It is the proven trust people of the canton clearly have in me which motivates me to stand again,” he said.

As to where the CVP party stands on all this, the cantonal party’s leader, Laura Dittli, said they would be meeting today, Thursday 24 October, to decide on whom they will support.