With the green wave, a new conservatism?

Federal election special - Jonas Follonier

Liberalism and conservatism, two niches of the classical European right, are not the big losers of the federal elections. If you think about it, the ecological preoccupation now officially present among the population denotes a new form of conservatism and way of conceiving freedom, beyond the social and progressive dimension that characterizes this movement. A mutation of the great ideologies that brings great strengths, but also great risks. Analysis.

Many had predicted it, some had been expecting it, and others had dreaded it like a worm in an apple. The green wave is well and truly here, with the Greens winning seventeen seats and the Green Liberals nine, mainly at the expense of the SVP (which lost twelve seats!) as well as the PS and the PLR, which limited the damage by losing four seats each. While the PDC lost «only» three seats nationally, its position as the country’s fourth-largest party, achieved de facto by the Greens, is a thing of the past. The message is clear: we must do more to protect the environment, combat global warming, and prioritize healthy agriculture. While the climate marches were driven by both civic engagement and a trend, the referendum held on Sunday, October 20, 2019, confirms—in a private way—this highly publicized momentum; voting has a certain intimate quality to it.

Did the media manipulate part of public opinion, as representatives of the UDC were quick to claim? That the media influenced the opinions of television viewers, radio listeners, and readers—yes, undoubtedly; it’s even a cliché. But the media consumer, as such, is not a voter. We must not take citizens for fools. Everyone votes according to their own conscience, and among the sources of information, reflection, and entertainment in all our lives, the media—whether public or private, leaning one way or the other—play an important role, but that does not make them brainwashers. I believe in the enlightened individual, regardless of their social background. To criticize the power of the media through the lens of conspiracy theories is not to disrespect the media—it is to disrespect the public.

Here’s the thing: part of the explanation for the Greens« victory—or rather, their opponents» defeat—lies in the lackluster performance of the established parties. Following the green trend—with the exception of the UDC, which is, in fact, the big loser—the traditional parties threw themselves into a whirlwind of mimicry, ambiguity, and even silence. What a lackluster campaign it was! «Innovation,» the PLR proclaimed; «climate justice,» the PS; “pragmatism,” the PDC. If the only choice is between vague and generic words, the Swiss told themselves, they might as well vote for the original. And then the Greens arrived.

Does this mean, however, that the progressive camp—fueled by movements such as Operation Libero and endless academic conferences on climate change and pesticides—has won? Let’s not jump to conclusions. The Swiss population—which, of course, is different from what it was ten years ago—still has a deep-seated conservative streak. And indeed, isn’t the desire to preserve the environment one facet of a conservative attitude, a concern for safeguarding a certain reality? Ultimately, Nothing is more conservative than environmentalism. As for the traditional right—which has sought to keep pace with the world and its socialites—it has not been that way for some time now.

What if the “green wave” were an opportunity to restore conservatism’s place in public discourse—and to redefine it? A quality of life worthy of the name requires maintaining a framework in which people can flourish and exercise their freedom. The environment must be preserved just as much as the quality of our services and the effectiveness of our institutions, respect for the French language, or an awareness of our shared history. Let’s preserve a little beauty in our lives by embracing an ecology poetic, to quote the French essayist Alain Finkielkraut, who published his plea in Le Figaro.

A minor problem: if environmentalists were philosophers, they would likely be scientists, and it is the sight of wind turbines that awaits us rather than the preservation of the landscape. A second obstacle: it is not certain that this Sunday’s referendum will be confirmed by upcoming votes. It is even highly likely that direct democracy will restore a balance between constraint and freedom, as the Swiss are undoubtedly attached to their purchasing power when they go to the polls on specific issues. For as for their concrete proposals—which consist almost exclusively of taxes—the Greens were careful not to highlight them during the campaign.

Third and final point (although this list is certainly not exhaustive): there is no guarantee that the Greens and the Green Liberals will maintain their electoral strength in four years. A lot can happen between now and then, including voter disillusionment with the concrete actions of their representatives. To truly establish themselves in Parliament, environmentalists will have to seek consensus, forge alliances, be willing to compromise, and avoid dogmatism. We’ll then see if, once the initial momentum has faded, we can truly speak of a “green” parliament. And, if so, the question of a seat on the Federal Council will arise.

Write to the author: [email protected]

Jonas Follonier was one of the guests on the «Forum» program on RTS 2 on October 21, 2019, to discuss the results of the federal referendums:

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