«The limits of what we call the “rule of law” are not set in stone.»

Socialist National Councillor Benoît Gaillard highlights the decline in political participation, the growing complexity of parliamentary work and the need to accept conflicts rather than stifle them in the name of an illusory consensus.

Elected to the lower house of the Swiss federal parliament during the special session last May to succeed Roger Nordmann from Vaud, trade unionist Benoît Gaillard is not only a major player in the political debate in French-speaking Switzerland, but also a keen observer of the Swiss democratic system. The philosophy graduate with a sovereignist streak analyzes the global phenomena which, in his view, are leading to a decline in voter turnout, and argues for a Parliament with more resources to carry out its increasingly complex legislative work, not least due to the extensive adoption of international rules.