The Swiss People’s Party (SVP) has launched a high-profile campaign into the new year, drawing parallels between Germany and the former East Germany and demanding the resignation of the Swiss Defense Minister, Viola Amherd.
In a full-page advertisement published in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), former Swiss Federal Council member Ueli Maurer warned of a “Stasi 2.0” in Germany, citing a decline in freedom of opinion and the suppression of dissenting voices, particularly against the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Maurer’s text, first published in the Swiss Times and later reprinted in the NZZ, also drew parallels between the current situation in Germany and the country’s past, mentioning the persecution of those with opposing views and the surveillance of citizens. The former SVP finance minister also criticized the German government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the media, labeling some outlets as “leftist” and claiming that they are promoting a “woke” agenda.
Not only Germany, but also Switzerland, was criticized by Maurer, who claimed that the country’s freedom of opinion is under threat. The SVP has been vocal in its criticism of Defense Minister Amherd, accusing her of being too pro-NATO and prioritizing the wrong issues.
In a statement, the SVP demanded Amherd’s resignation, citing her alleged lack of focus on the Swiss army’s equipment and her decision to supply arms to Ukraine, which the party claims endangers the country’s internal and external security.
The demand for Amherd’s resignation was raised at the SVP’s council meeting at the Hotel Bad Horn on the Bodensee, where former Federal Council member Christoph Blocher and Army Chief Thomas Süssli also attended. Süssli, who is also under fire from the SVP, was confronted with the remark that the army is poorly led and that Amherd poses a security risk.
The attack on Amherd and Süssli has sparked an outraged reaction from the “Mitte” party, with its president, Gerhard Pfister, drawing a sarcastic comparison to Maurer’s time as Defense Minister, reminding the public that Maurer failed to secure the purchase of a fighter jet. Philipp Matthias Bregy, the Mitte party’s parliamentary leader, asked if the SVP was now engaging in “Comedy Late Night”.
The SVP’s demands have certainly garnered attention, with the party’s warnings of a “Stasi 2.0” in Germany receiving coverage in numerous media outlets and being interpreted as a “dramatic appeal” by some.