this detail which boosts Berset’s candidacy

The electoral campaign for the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe begins on Sunday evening in Strasbourg. The election will take place on Tuesday. Surprising news favors the election of Alain Berset.

Othmar von Matt / ch media

It was an intervention in his own name at the Bürgenstock: Alain Berset (52) attended the conference on Ukraine and reportedly shook hands with 50 heads of state. Objective: to campaign for his candidacy for the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

The latter was founded in 1946 and is independent from the EU. It has 46 member states. Its objectives are the protection of human rights, pluralist democracy and the rule of law.

Didier Reynders (65), European Commissioner for Justice, was also at the Bürgenstock. The EU published a photo of him with Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament. He also wishes to become Secretary General.

Indrek Saar (51 years old), however, was absent. Estonia’s former culture minister is also running for the post.

The electoral campaign enters its decisive phase from Sunday. The election will take place on Tuesday: the first round (by absolute majority) will be held from 10 a.m. to noon; a possible second round (by relative majority) from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Will a Berset-Reynders duel take place?

Spectators expect a duel between the socialist Alain Berset and the liberal Reynders. Alain Berset claims to have visited 26 countries and spoken with more than 600 members of Parliament. On Sunday, Claude Wild, permanent representative of Switzerland to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, will launch the final sprint from 6 p.m. The 612 members of Parliament are invited to an event with Alain Berset.

Alain Berset’s chances of being elected have increased significantly since Monday. This is linked to an announcement that, at first glance, has nothing to do with the Council of Europe: Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas is expected to become the new high representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs. The international media calls her a “figurehead” because she stands up to Putin.

Two Estonians for two jobs: too many?

However, with the candidacy of Indrek Saar for the post of Secretary General, another Estonian is also in the running. His chances have declined rapidly since Monday. Although Europe wants to give more responsibilities to Estonia for geopolitical reasons, it is unlikely, according to National Socialist Councilor Pierre-Alain Fridez, that Europe would allocate two high-level positions to a small country like Estonia. Estonia, which has only 1.3 million inhabitants.

The big question is what will happen to Saar’s candidacy. Frank Schwabe, chairman of the Socialists, Democrats and Greens (SOC) parliamentary group, made Saar the official candidate of the largest parliamentary group. According to insiders, the candidacy of Alain Berset would be a thorn in his side. After a consultative vote in the SOC in April, which Estonia’s former culture minister won with two-thirds of the vote, Schwabe reportedly asked Berset to withdraw his candidacy — to no avail.

Will the SOC now withdraw Saar’s candidacy in order to increase the chances of success of the socialist Alain Berset against the liberal Didier Reynders? Schwabe does not reveal his intentions.

Swiss delegates to the Council of Europe Parliament estimate that only 230 to 240 members, out of a total of 306 voters, will participate in the vote. French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to hold early elections could cost Switzerland eight votes; French deputies, with the exception of senators, do not have the right to vote in the Parliament of the Council of Europe. The United Kingdom has also scheduled early elections — which could also result in a loss of votes.

The votes Berset needs

The race promises to be tight. This is why the Swiss delegates created a Whatsapp group with Alain Berset. “Every vote is truly decisive,” explains UDC national councilor Roland Büchel. “It actually counts doubly: if Alain Berset does not obtain a vote, it will go to another candidate.”

The number of votes he will obtain from the second largest parliamentary group, the European People’s Party (EPP), should be decisive for Alain Berset. EPP national councilor Nik Gugger is advertising for Berset there — and former state councilor Filippo Lombardi (Center/TI) is also said to be active behind the scenes. As for the SOC, the socialists, they count among their members, in addition to Pierre-Alain Fridez, the green Sibel Arslan – and Liliane Maury-Pasquier, former delegate and former president of the Parliament to the Council of Europe.

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His most formidable rival is Didier Reynders. For his electoral campaign, the Belgian is taking unpaid leave from April 15 until election day on June 25 — as European Commissioner for Justice. Didier Reynders has decided to entrust his portfolio to Vice-President Vera Jourova for the duration of his temporary withdrawal, explains a spokesperson for the European Commission.

If a sitting federal councilor took nine weeks of unpaid leave to campaign for a new position, it would make headlines in Switzerland. Roland Büchel, national councilor, comments: “I am surprised that this does not cause a stir in the EU.”

For comparison, the Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has so far covered expenses of 20,000 francs for Alain Berset’s electoral campaign.

Translated and adapted by Noëline Flippe

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