Green National Councillor Bastien Girod announced his resignation in an interview with the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper. At the same time, he announced that Meret Schneider, who was voted out in the last election, would be his successor.
He says he is by no means bored of politics, but after 17 years the time has come for him.
When asked why he is stepping down in the middle of the legislative period and not after the last elections, he explains that in the last 17 years in the National Council he has successfully completed many important projects, including the 2050 net zero target and the promotion of the circular economy. Now he wants to switch from being a politician to being an implementer. Since spring he has been working for the consulting firm Deloitte, where he supports companies in the areas of sustainability and climate.
When asked by the Tages-Anzeiger whether green politics is superfluous today, Girod answered emphatically “no”. In his opinion, political commitment to the climate and a clean environment remains indispensable, especially in areas such as biodiversity. He also sees a continued need for action in the circular economy.
However, Girod emphasises that many of the demands the Greens fought for 20 years ago have now found broad support. One example is solar power, which he campaigned for in the 2000s and was laughed at at the time.
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