{"id":38264,"date":"2021-02-01T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-01T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leregardlibre.com\/?p=38264"},"modified":"2025-12-13T22:44:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-13T21:44:03","slug":"the-center-has-no-monopoly-on-the-search-for-balance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leregardlibre.com\/en\/policy\/switzerland\/the-center-has-no-monopoly-on-the-search-for-balance\/","title":{"rendered":"The center has no monopoly on the search for balance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Le Regard Libre N\u00b0 70<\/a> - Jonas Follonier<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the\u2019interview-debate<\/a> on pp. 8-11. this issue<\/a>, Sascha Zbinden (PBD) and Nathan Bender (PDC) were asked about their vision for the merger of their two parties and the new name \u00abLe Centre\u00bb.<\/strong> For souls unfamiliar with centrist ideas, two problems stand out in the words of both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The first problem is the vagueness of their political philosophy.<\/strong> Yet Christian democracy has a long tradition. You'd expect a young PDC, who is also attached to the notion of \u00abChristian\u00bb, or at any rate \u00abChristian Democrat\u00bb, to defend a philosophical-political heritage, drawing on history. European construction, federalism... Mr. Bender's political background is undoubtedly not limited to his family politics, as he himself says. Except that he doesn't give us much insight into this hypothetical added value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is precisely the second problem: this idea that the core of the actions to be taken (because Messrs Zbinden and Bender are defending the same line here) lies in the search for balance and the common good, can - must - be brandished by all parties!<\/strong> It's very strange to find a member of parliament who claims to avoid or be indifferent to balances, preferring to defend one sector, or one trend, or one canton, to the detriment of others. It's hard to imagine an MP who would say he or she wants to serve his or her own interests rather than those of society as a whole. Such people couldn't even be elected. The center, whether capitalized or not, has never had and will never have a monopoly on the search for compromise. This is quite simply the definition of Swiss political culture, whether legislative or executive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n