Federal Councilor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider was under constant fire with her asylum policy, especially from the civil side.
Her move to the Federal Department of the Interior was also harshly criticized. She foresaw that, says Baume-Schneider, but didn’t fear it: “I know who I am.”
Getting started in the new department was steep. Elisabeth Baume-Schneider had no grace period and certainly not 100 days to settle in at the new place of work.
It can be challenging to represent the Federal Council’s position and remain true to your own values. But that’s important to me.
The voting battle for the 13th AHV pension had already begun. Parties and political observers were curious to see how she would cope with the task. Ultimately, she had to compete against her own party, the SP, and also against her own previous position as Councilor of States.
A balancing act: For Baume-Schneider, it is important that people understand that she can represent the position of the Federal Council and still remain true to her values.
A lot of work on the table
As head of the EDI, Elisabeth Baume-Schneider has immense tasks to do: the biggest chunks are the reforms in pension provision and the healthcare system. However, criticism of her administration has temporarily fallen silent. Parties and the media, for example, rated their involvement in the voting campaign as positive overall.
Things were completely different in her year in office as head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJPD). Their asylum policy was harshly criticized, especially from civil circles. In the 2023 election year, the issues of migration and asylum were high on the election campaign agenda.
Defeat and severe criticism
Elisabeth Baume-Schneider wanted to create 3,000 additional places for asylum seekers. She wanted to build container villages on army land for 130 million francs. But the deal did not get through in the Council of States. Too expensive and unnecessary, said SVP National Councilor and party president Marcel Dettling, for example.
This defeat was a pass for the Federal Councilor’s critics.
Criticism is part of the job
Such criticism is a diversionary tactic from the fact that we have to solve problems together, says Gerhard Andrey from Freiburg and National Councilor of the Greens. In addition, according to SP parliamentary group president Samira Marti, Elisabeth Baume-Schneider is only the tenth Federal Councilor in this country. A woman in the state government is still not a given and will be judged accordingly.
I don’t read everything about myself. And often the criticism is directed at my role, not at me as a person.
Baume-Schneider believes that criticism is part of the job and that she doesn’t take it personally: “I don’t read everything about myself. And often the criticism is directed at my role, not at me as a person.” As a Federal Councilor, she must be able to endure that. After all, it’s not just federal councilors who are exposed; politicians from small communities are also often exposed to severe criticism.
In fact: The Federal Police and Justice Department noticed an increase in hostility against politicians last year.
No one should feel fear when carrying out an office.
Last December, Federal Councilor Baume-Schneider organized a round table on the topic of hate speech in politics. “Nobody should feel fear when carrying out an office,” said the Federal Councilor during these discussions.
Never lost an election
The Jura native was almost unknown in German-speaking Switzerland until her election to the Federal Council in December 2022. In French-speaking Switzerland, however, she was considered a political heavyweight.
She was 30 years old when she was elected to the Jura cantonal parliament for the SP. She surprisingly won election to the government council in 2002. In total, she stayed in the Jura government for 13 years, where she headed the Department of Education, Culture and Sport.
She made it to the Council of States straight away in 2019. The election to the Federal Council will take place in 2022. Elisabeth Baume-Schneider has never lost an election.
She doesn’t set foot on the golf course in Les Bois
Elisabeth Baume-Schneider grew up as a farmer’s daughter in Les Bois. The family worked as tenants on a 52-hectare farm. In the 1980s, the community decided that the farm should make way for a golf course. In the voting campaign, says Baume-Schneider, the farmers were described as “mediocre people” who would not advance the village.
Every person deserves the same respect.
This still shapes Elisabeth Baume-Schneider today. That’s when she learned never to speak disparagingly about people and to show everyone the same respect, even if their political opinions differed greatly. “Every person deserves the same respect.” The Federal Councilor would like to visit the village of Les Bois, but under no circumstances does she want to go to the golf course.
Pierre-André Baume: “It’s not pleasant, but bearable”
The Baume-Schneider family lives less than 10 kilometers from Les Bois in Les Breuleux. In a rare insight into their private life, the Baume-Schneider couple talk about how their lives changed after the Federal Council election. They are now in the public eye. It’s not always pleasant, says husband Pierre Baume, but it’s bearable.
Legend: Life changed dramatically for the couple after the election. SRF
Pierre-André Baume, who says that he is a little further to the left than his wife, believes that his wife has hardly changed with her new role as Federal Councilor: “She remains Elisabeth.” You can count on her and she can always recover and start again even after difficult times.