{"id":97313,"date":"2021-05-04T21:24:32","date_gmt":"2021-05-04T21:24:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/i-colloqui-von-wattenwyl-e-la-ricerca-del-compromesso\/"},"modified":"2021-05-26T14:38:14","modified_gmt":"2021-05-26T14:38:14","slug":"the-von-wattenwyl-talks-and-the-search-for-a-compromise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/the-von-wattenwyl-talks-and-the-search-for-a-compromise\/","title":{"rendered":"The “von Wattenwyl talks” and the search for a compromise"},"content":{"rendered":"

The “von Wattenwyl talks” and the search for a compromise<\/h1>\n

Since February 1970 the Federal Councillors have been meeting with the leaders of the parties in the Swiss Executive in the “old town” of Bern to discuss current Swiss affairs<\/em><\/h3>\n

The Federal Councillors of the Swiss Confederation meet regularly with the heads of the parties represented in the Swiss executive to discuss current Swiss issues.
\nThe so-called “von Wattenwyl meetings” date back to 1970 and take their name from the villa in Bern’s “old town”, which is owned by the state and has traditionally been the venue for these meetings.
\nThe meetings were established in order to facilitate the search for shared solutions in a government of concordance and the meetings take place especially before the sessions of the Federal Chambers.<\/p>\n

. .\"La<\/p>\n

The northern fa\u00e7ade of the von Wattenwyl House at 59 Junkerngasse in Bern’s ‘old town’.<\/p>\n

A custom due to Chancellor Karl Huber<\/h4>\n

The rounds of talks that regularly precede each session of the Federal Assembly were established at the time when Karl Huber was Chancellor of the Confederation.
\nTheir purpose was to work out shared solutions between the four parties represented in the Federal Council (Liberal Radical Party, People’s Democratic Party, Socialist Party, Central Democratic Union), after the composition of the national government according to the “magic formula” had been established in 1959.
\nSince their inception, the main purpose of the meetings is the exchange of ideas and free debate.<\/p>\n

\"La
The south fa\u00e7ade of the von Wattenwyl House in Bern’s ‘old town’ overlooking the River Aare<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Debut in the West Wing of the Federal Building, after which….<\/h4>\n

The first of these rounds of debates took place in February 1970, again in the West Wing of the Federal Palace.
\nOn the agenda were, among other things, measures to mitigate “economic overheating<\/em>“.
\nThe first meeting that actually took place in the von Wattenwyl House was presumably on 15 June 1970.
\nAlready at the end of that summer month, the invitation referred to the “traditional free discussion with the chairmen of the parties and parliamentary groups represented in the government”.
\nThe term “von Wattenwyl talks” first appeared in the mid-1970s, but only came into common use in the following decade.<\/p>\n

Switzerland and the “fantastic four” of direct democracy<\/strong><\/a>
\nThe ethics of competitiveness and the spirit of federalism<\/strong><\/a>
\nWaldst\u00e4tte and the “forest” cantons at the dawn of Switzerland…<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

The rooms of the House of Wattenwyl may only be used by members of the Federal Council and the Chancellor of the Confederation, the sole owner of the elegant building in the capital.
\nThe Confederation uses it for official receptions, but also for signing international agreements and conducting political talks of various kinds.
\nThe Federal Chancellery is responsible for reservations; the Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics is responsible for the maintenance of the residence and the care of the valuable historical inventory; the Federal Office for Culture is responsible for the works of art in the residence.<\/p>\n