2025-08-15 The liberal democrats in Switzerland
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One of the founding parties of the current state are the liberal
democrats. My limited understanding of the situation is that they were
all about liberty – against the ancient régime (the semi-feudal system
before Napoleon and the French revolution helped us get rid of them)
and against the church. My wife still remembers the small-scale
feuding betweens catholics and protestants. My father in law still
remembers that uneasy peace: going to school as a protestant in a
mostly catholic village. His father was very much engaged in that
struggle against the powers of the church.

These days, those battles are no longer that important. And so the
liberal democrats turned to economic freedom. They turned into the
part of bankers and industrialist. They rode that neoliberal devil.
And now as it is faltering, a new change is afoot. Sadly, when they
last looked for leadership, the only candidate who stood up was a
xenophobe. But we already have a party of racists! The Swiss people's
party. These people were originally more of a farmer's party but under
the influence of billionaire Blocher they also rode that neoliberal
horse. Down with taxes! Up with the banks! Down with regulation! Down
with the European Union! Yeah, Blocher was a good demagogue.

The liberal democrats liked what they heard about taxes and didn't
mind kicking out foreigners and so they worked together. But you know
how it is: When in doubt, people prefer the clearer message. And on
the non-demagoguery front, there was a strange thing that happened
with the Green party. Like in many places, they had a left wing and a
right wing. And their differences became so large, that the split! The
Greens are now "melon green": green on the outside and red on the
inside. They work well with the socialists. The right wingers were the
green liberals. The rational voice calling for a lowering of taxes.

A while ago there was a session of the liberal democrats where one of
the delegates present was muttering against some decisions in favour
of the environment. "If we continue like this we might as well join
the liberal greens!"

Ah, and that's the dilemma. Those who want less taxes and don't mind
kicking foreigners around can join the Swiss people's party. Those who
want less taxes and still save at least some of the planet can join
the liberal greens.

Naturally, one of the more famous members of the Anti-Vaccination
party, whose star has not been rising in recent months, wants to join
the liberal democrats again.

That's how far this party has fallen.

#Switzerland #Politics