Election Fallout: Greens and GLP Cutting Staff After Losing Seats

Published26. December 2023, 10:31

Missing money: Heads are rolling after the elections – the Greens and GLP are laying off people

Fewer people will work in some party headquarters next year than before. The reason is the parliamentary group contributions that each party receives per national and state council seat.

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Balthasar Glättli’s Greens lost the most seats, namely seven. This will have consequences for the employees in the party’s general secretariat.

Adrian Moser

Jürg Grossen’s GLP has also lost six seats and has to tighten its belt.

20min/Taddeo Cerletti

The reason is the so-called “party contributions” that each faction receives. Their height depends on the number of seats.

20min/Matthias Spicher

That’s what it’s about

• The parties that lost seats in the elections will have to cut staff next year.

• This has to do with federal money that they get for each seat.

• We tell you who is particularly affected.

“Elections must have consequences” is a common saying in Bern. Elections – and especially the loss of seats – have very concrete consequences for the parties’ coffers.

Reason: The parties receive so-called parliamentary group contributions from the federal government for each parliamentary seat they hold. According to the parliamentary website, the basic amount per parliamentary group per year is 144,500 francs and there is an additional 26,800 francs per seat.

The Greens and Green Liberals must downsize their party headquarters

There will be “personnel changes” among the Green Liberals and the Greens, as both parties wrote upon request. Both agree that the main reason is the loss of seats in the 2023 national elections.

Since the Greens have lost a total of seven seats in the National and Council of States, parliamentary group contributions amounting to 26,800 francs are missing seven times, making a total of 187,600 francs. The Green Liberals have six seats, or over 160,000 francs less in their coffers. Both parties have not yet been able to quantify exactly to what extent this will lead to job reductions.

Does the CS shutdown have consequences for party donations?

There are also changes in the FDP, which lost two seats. But to what extent the party leaves it open. The SP, which has gained two seats, is preparing to have to hold many referendums against the strengthened bourgeoisie in the coming years, which is why the general secretariat will be “only slightly reduced” compared to the election year. However, the party announced an important change just a few days ago: the party’s previous co-general secretariat will in future again be led by one person, Tom Cassee.

The party headquarters of the center, the EVP and the SVP are not planning any changes. This is noticeable in the case of the SVP, because the election winner’s parliamentary group has grown by nine members, meaning that the party has over 241,000 francs in additional federal parliamentary group contributions at its disposal. The center gained three seats and therefore had over 80,000 francs more available.

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2023-12-26 10:50:42
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