Interviews with the presidents of the National Council and the Council of States
President
of the National Council 2022
Irène Kälin, Aargau
The Greens
What inspired you to enter
politics?
I have always been quite a political person, particularly in the face of
injustice. But the fact that I got into politics is partly due to chance. I
certainly happened to be in the right place at the right time. After all, as a
politician, you are always dependent on your own party and how popular it is
with the voters.
What priorities have you set
for your year as president?
My priority is to strive for balance. On the one hand, the classic
balance between work, life and politics, which should be encouraged to a
greater extent by Parliament. But also in terms of greater balance in the
expression of opinions in Parliament. Particularly in times of crisis, we have
a duty to seek compromise and present the public with solutions that they can
see make sense and so support.
President
of the Council of States 2022
Thomas Hefti, Glarus
FDP.The Liberals
What inspired you to enter
politics?
It pretty much runs in the family. My great-grandfathers took a strong
interest in politics and were very active in that regard. The female members of
the family were also eager to join in the discussions around the dinner table.
Apart from the family, the people's assembly in the canton of Glarus had a
strong influence on me. Even as a young boy, I always went along and was
totally fascinated by it.
How do you manage to reconcile
professional and political life?
That's not always been easy. I'm a lawyer and notary with my own law
practice. When I got into politics, I knew that I would have to try to find a
balance between the two. As I'm self-employed, I have cut back and handed over
some of the workload in the practice to my wife.