We need to tell people about all we do - says newly appointed leader of cantonal FDP party

Carina Brüngger-Ebinger is the first ever woman leader of the cantonal FDP party, not that she really considered her gender to be of overriding importance in this matter, though she feels politics would benefit from more women being involved. In a recent interview with a journalist of the Zuger Zeitung, the 54-year-old spoke about the role she has had since April of this year.

In addition to being leader of the FDP (liberal) party, she has been a councillor in Steinhausen for nine years, although she was brought up in Rotkreuz. The photograph of her shows her by the Waldsee in Steinhausen, where she has many happy memories of playing as a child, and a member of the guides, and where she now enjoys taking her dog for a walk and being able to switch off for a while.

When asked why she thought too few women were engaged in politics, she said she was not quite sure, but felt women doubted and questioned things more than men. “I have noticed that, at council meetings where new councillors take their seats, it is the women who ask what the procedure is, whereas men, who have equally little experience on this first occasion, do not question their ability as to whether they are up to it,” she said, while acknowledging that both men and women were needed in politics.

As to quotas for women, she had an ambivalent approach to this. Basically, she was against regulation in this regard though she felt a time-limited quota for women to be able to sit on the boards of listed companies would open a lot of doors to them. “Ideally, the matter of whether men or women occupy certain positions should be irrelevant, shouldn’t it?”

When asked whether she had taken part in the recent national Women’s Strike, she said demonstrating or going on strike was not her thing, though she supported much of what they were calling for.

As to how she became interested in politics in the first place, she mentioned how much current affairs were discussed at home, not least with her brother who also became politically active. However, it was only at the age of 34 that she became active in this area herself, when she was asked to sit on the Education Committee, joining the FDP party at the same time. She mentioned this was unquestionably the right party for her, not that any is perfect.

It is one year ago now that she narrowly failed to be nominated as a candidate for the cantonal parliament, which naturally led to some disappointment for her. “This is way things are; in elections you can win or lose. Fortunately, I have an optimistic trait which means that whenever one door closes, another opens.”

Indeed, this happened with her subsequent election to be leader of the cantonal party, on which she was warmly congratulated and for which she was given much support. “Many people expected me to withdraw after I was not nominated for the election to the cantonal government, but I did not.”

As mentioned, not only is Brüngger-Ebinger leader of the cantonal FDP party and a councillor, she is also the managing director of Zug Spitex (homecare) organisation. When she was asked how she coped in holding these three roles, she initially asked (with a smile), “Why is it only women are asked this sort of question?” She went on to explain that she had always worked, her husband working in shifts in care work. “This means that, whatever time we have to spend together, we spend qualitatively. I spend many an evening and weekend alone now our children are both grown up. I cannot just sit there doing nothing, I am far too curious for that, and politics has become my hobby.”

As to what her job as party leader entails, she explained this meant representing he party externally, discussing matters with the parliamentarians, chairing meetings and supporting campaign managers. “It is all very varied,” she said.

When asked what had changed under her leadership, she mentioned the leadership style. “Not that mine is better or worse,” she said, emphasising at the same time how important she felt consulting grass roots was.

As to what she would like to achieve, she mentioned that while the FDP won many (parliamentary) votes, it was not so successful in elections. “What we need to do is to show people all the FDP does,” she said, one major aim this year being to secure more votes in elections and repeat this in parliamentary and municipal elections in three years’ time.

As to the dreaded question, “Where do you see yourself in ten years’ time?” she replied, “I do not really think that far ahead,” adding that she felt it important to be at the right place at the right time.