Footnote 4: Covid Partey Like its 2020

Different Alpine Republic and Year, Same Condescension

Over at Bad Cattitude, El Gato just posted something on the Austrian situation.

Here’s a timely reminder that these things also happen in that other Alpine republic, Switzerland, but they happened a 1.5 years earlier:

After Switzerland went into ‘lockdown’ (house arrest) mode in mid-March 2020, parliament excused itself, too, and went into belated hibernation, handing vast powers to the executive.

By May 2020, the federal government became a bit uneasy about the massive transfer of authority and individual cabinet ministers mentioned that parliament should convene and debate these measures before too long.

At first, parliamentarians felt that this wasn’t really needed, but after some media bashing, the MPs acceeded to the government’s request to do their f***** job.

So, on 4-6 June 2020, parliament convened, but not in its chambers. Instead, the MPs all went to the convention centre in Berne, Switzerland, to adhere to the distancing measures. This is what happened after a 14-hour session, courtesy of Zurich-based daily Der Tagesanzeiger:

According to the report, politicians had an “illegal party” on Tuesday evening at around 10.30 pm. After a 14-hour session, many felt like a cool beer or a sip of wine—and gathered at the “Henris”, the restaurant in the Bernexpo convention centre where the session took place from Monday to Wednesday due to Corona. There is talk of at least 50 up to 100 parliamentarians from various parliamentary groups.

Special rights for parliamentarians

No more than five people are allowed to meet, restaurants are still closed—”for all citizens. Parliamentarians, however, take special rights”, complains “Blick”. The police escorted the politicians out around 11.30 p.m., but did not hand out any fines, the article continues. The Bern cantonal police, however, did not confirm this when asked: they were not on the spot.

What is true? Many of the parliamentarians interviewed consider the descriptions in the article to be exaggerated; there is no question of a party and special rights. Some of them had gone to get something to eat and something to drink after the session, and of course they had also discussed with each other, all in an orderly manner. There was no room for 100 people in the “Henris”, a MP remarked.’

They had a long day, sure, but they also had like three months off before. So, what is ‘true’?

Also, do note the ‘excuse’: there was not party, some just had food, and even if there was something going on, no way more than a handful of us took place.

Here’s the above-cited news item again (my emphasis):

It is a fact that, according to the parliamentary services, the “Henris” restaurant was only in operation during the extraordinary session, and only for the National Councillors [MPs, lower chamber], the Councillors of States [MPs, upper chamber] and the staff of the parliamentary services. It was one of four “catering stands”, and it was not open to the public, it served as a staff canteen, which, according to Covid-19 regulations, are now already allowed to be open. “The councillors and employees of the parliamentary services had to have somewhere to eat, after all. Outside Bernexpo, this was difficult”, parliamentary services answered on request. It remains unclear how much alcohol—which the parliamentarians had to pay for themselves—was consumed. The catering group responsible, ZFV, does not disclose any figures.’

One last word about this: dear MPs, have you ever heard of, say, lunch boxes that we, the rest of the working population, carries with us when we go to work?

There you have it: two Alpine republics, with comparably shitty politicians, albeit the smell may be somewhat different.