Death of Sonja Wiesmann: Companions and party colleagues react

Marina Bruggmann, President of the SP Thurgau

SP party president Marina Bruggmann can’t say many words. She is crying. She mourns the loss of her companion. “With Sonja Wiesmann we have not only lost our government councilor, but also a friend.”

As party president, Bruggmann was informed about the death of Sonja Wiesmann by government councilor Urs Martin in the afternoon. Since then, she has spent most of her time on the phone, informing her next companions. “We are all totally shocked and deeply sad,” says Marina Bruggmann.

Barbara Dätwyler, SP parliamentary group president

Barbara Dätwyler took over the parliamentary group presidency from Sonja Wiesmann after Wiesmann was elected to the government. “For me she was a role model, she led the group for so long – she was a long-standing and important companion for many of us,” says Barbara Dätwyler.

Wiesmann’s death also means the loss of a very reliable partner in the government. But above all, people will be missing. «We lost our friend. It’s just bad – really shocking.” The news of Sonja Wiesmann’s death came as a total surprise to Datwyler. “Just yesterday we were together in the Grand Council and today she is gone forever.”

Nina Schläfli, SP National Councilor

“Sonja Wiesmann’s death is a great loss for us, but it is even worse for her relatives and especially for her daughters,” says SP National Councilor Nina Schläfli. She can’t really grasp the news yet. “She was not only a role model for me, but also one of my biggest supporters,” says Schläfli.

In addition to her work as mayor and cantonal councilor, one should not forget that Sonja Wiesmann has always been strongly committed to women’s rights and equality. “She wasn’t the loudest, but that’s exactly what made her stand out,” says Schläfli. «Our political styles couldn’t have been more different and yet I always wanted to know what she thought. Your opinion was important to me.”

Karin Keller-Sutter, Federal President, FDP

Federal President Karin Keller-Sutter appears dismayed on X, formerly Twitter. She writes: “The unexpected death of Thurgau government councilor Sonja Wiesmann is shocking. I wish your loved ones a lot of strength and only the best in these difficult hours and days.”

Walter Schönholzer, District President, FDP

“We were all together in the Grand Council on Wednesday,” says District President Walter Schönholzer, “and then this news came on Thursday. “That’s very affecting.”

Wiesmann’s death came out of nowhere, “totally surprising.” Schönholzer says: “The thoughts of the entire government are with the relatives, especially with Sonja Wiesmann’s two daughters.”

Ruedi Zbinden, President of the SVP Thurgau

“She has worked for the public for so many years and served the people,” says SVP Thurgau President Ruedi Zbinden about Sonja Wiesmann. “Her death came far too soon.” For Zbinden, Wiesmann was a companion over the years – despite different political views: “We had a friendly relationship, we could always talk about everything, I valued her very much.”

The news of Wiesmann’s death reached Ruedi Zbinden on Thursday morning. He expresses his deepest condolences to the relatives and says: “It was a shock, I couldn’t believe it at first.” He is four years older than Wiesmann, “that makes you really think about it.”

Sandra Stadler, President of Mitte Thurgau

Since Mitte President Sandra Stadler attended a workshop by Sonja Wiesmann, she has been impressed: “Sonja Wiesmann achieved incredible things as an SP woman in an SVP community, was incredibly competent, a role model for women in politics.”

And not only that: Wiesmann thanked Stadler in writing for his support in the government council election and congratulated the centrist president by card on her success in the cantonal council elections. Stadler says: “She was so warm and a very fine woman. Her death is incredibly tragic.”