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Monde Économie Suisse 06/12/19 MONDE LE NOUVELLISTE www.lenouvelliste.ch ÉCONOMIE SUISSE Cassis sous pression BILAN L’assaut des Verts contre un siège libéral-radical au Conseil fédéral vise un ministre à la ligne fluctuante. PAR CHRISTIANE IMSAND ET PHILIPPE BOEGLIN, BERNE n poste depuis deux tiative pour des multinationa- ans, le chef du Départe- les responsables. «C’est une af- ment des affaires étran- faire montée en épingle, qui Egères (DFAE), Ignazio ne doit pas faire perdre la vi- Cassis, a eu le temps de se faire sion d’ensemble», estime le des ennemis. Déçue par le vi- vice-président du PLR, Chris- rage à droite opéré par le libé- tian Lüscher. «N’oublions pas ral-radical tessinois, après l’ère que l’économie est le moteur du centriste Didier Burkhalter, de notre prospérité.» la gauche ne manque pas de l’étriller chaque fois qu’il sem- COMMUNICATION: LE ble donner des gages à la droite POLITICIEN CAFOUILLEUR et aux milieux économiques. L’épisode est emblématique: C’est le jeu de la politique, en 2017, juste avant son élec- mais le Tessinois prête le flanc tion au Conseil fédéral, Ignazio à la critique, en adoptant des Cassis adhère à l’association positions polémiques qui le des tireurs Pro Tell, donnant contraignent régulièrement à un gage de plus à la droite con- de pénibles reculades. servatrice. Lorsque le «Tages- Anzeiger» et «Zentralschweiz EUROPE: L’IMPASSE am Sonntag» le révèlent, il se SUR L’ACCORD-CADRE dépêche de quitter le lobby. Discours percutant, mise en Pour ses critiques, ce cafouillis scène accrocheuse: Ignazio illustre à quel point le ministre Cassis a repris le tentaculaire PLR est influençable et sensi- dossier européen avec un cer- ble autant à la pression qu’au tain à-propos. D’abord en dé- sens du vent. clarant vouloir faire «reset» L’histoire se répète avec le spon- avec l’Union européenne sur soring de Philip Morris à l’Expo- l’accord-cadre institutionnel, sition universelle. Le DFAE ex- soit remettre les compteurs à plique que ce sont les articles zéro. Puis en alliant le geste à de presse qui ont poussé son la parole, comme lors d’une chef à anticiper sa décision. présentation où il jette au sol «Ignazio Cassis est l’anti-Pascal des cubes de couleur. Il tran- Couchepin. L’ex-conseiller fédé- che avec son prédécesseur Di- Ignazio Cassis (au centre) a été ligoté, mercredi soir, à Yens, par la compagnie des Brigands du Jorat lors de la réception en l’honneur de la nouvelle ral radical était un homme dier Burkhalter, recroquevillé présidente du Conseil national, Isabelle Moret. Pour l’élection de mercredi prochain, c’est principalement son siège qui est visé par les Verts. KEYSTONE d’Etat, qui savait où il allait. et résigné. «Il a insufflé un Ignazio Cassis n’a, lui, pas quit- nouvel élan aux négocia- syndicats et le PS montent au UNE APPROCHE nement à revenir sur ses pas. té le costume de lobbyiste qu’il tions», lui accorde un adver- front. Le ministre perd la ma- ÉCONOMIQUE L’été dernier, le DFAE refait les portait comme parlementaire», saire politique proche du jorité au Parlement pour l’ac- «La politique extérieure est de gros titres. Le géant du tabac envoie le conseiller aux Etats Conseil fédéral. cord-cadre, puisque l’UDC la politique intérieure.» Igna- Philip Morris est annoncé Carlo Sommaruga (PS/GE). L’UDC fait la moue. Elle espé- maintient son opposition fon- zio Cassis a annoncé rapide- comme sponsor du Pavillon Cette impression louvoyante, rait autre chose de ce «reset», damentale. Le fossé reste ment la couleur. Les actions suisse à l’Exposition univer- le Tessinois la transmet aussi mais, comme le dit le Valaisan béant, aggravé par l’attitude sur la scène internationale doi- selle de Dubaï, en 2020. A nou- lorsqu’en mai 2018, il émet des Jean-Luc Addor, «il était illu- peu conciliante de l’Union eu- vent rapporter des fruits tangi- veau, hauts cris. Médecin spé- doutes sur le bien-fondé de soire de croire que le Tessinois ropéenne. bles à la Suisse et à son écono- cialisé dans la prévention (!), l’UNRWA, l’agence de l’ONU se transformerait en petit sol- Le conseiller fédéral tente de mie. Quitte à adopter des Ignazio Cassis recule. Son dé- d’aide aux réfugiés palesti- dat de l’UDC». gagner du temps en deman- positions pour le moins polé- partement assure que le con- niens, que Berne soutient. Le soufflé retombe vite. Peu de “Ignazio Cassis n’a pas dant des clarifications sur la miques: à l’été 2018, le Tessi- trat n’était pas encore définitif. Dans la foulée, le président temps après, Ignazio Cassis quitté le costume protection des salaires, les ai- nois apporte la quatrième voix Tollé encore après la visite d’alors, Alain Berset (PS), le met les pieds dans le plat en de lobbyiste qu’il portait des d’Etat et la directive euro- décisive au Conseil fédéral d’une mine de cuivre de l’en- rappelle à l’ordre. Christian relativisant le caractère intou- péenne sur la citoyenneté. «On pour libéraliser les exporta- treprise zougoise Glencore, en Lüscher rétorque qu’il n’est chable de la protection des sa- comme parlementaire.” ne peut pas lui reprocher de ne tions d’armes dans les pays en Zambie. Le Tessinois avait loué pas illégitime de se poser des laires, alors que le maintien CARLO SOMMARUGA pas tout faire pour défendre les guerre civile. Tollé à gauche et les efforts de modernisation du questions. A droite, plusieurs des mesures d’accompagne- CONSEILLER AUX ÉTATS GENEVOIS (PS) intérêts de la Suisse», souligne au centre. La fronde gagne le géant minier, très critiqué par parlementaires mettent en ment constituait la ligne l’un de ses proches. «Il essaie centre droit, puisque des élus les défenseurs des droits de cause son entourage et évo- rouge définie par son prédé- de trouver des solutions rai- PLR et UDC font passer une l’homme et de l’environne- quent des problèmes de com- cesseur. C’est un tournant. Les sonnables.» motion qui amène le gouver- ment, qui défendent une ini- munication. A cinq jours de l’élection, Regula Rytz ne décolle pas Pour Regula Rytz, l’heure de vérité va d’Etat. S’il ne «tombait» pas, il n’est des suffrages chez les Vert’libéraux et élue. Les démocrates-chrétiens tien- sonner mercredi prochain, lors de pas exclu que les écologistes s’en les démocrates-chrétiens. Le défi est nent donc à ne pas fâcher le PLR et l’élection du gouvernement par prennent à l’autre ministre PLR, Karin de taille. Si son parti et le PS devraient l’UDC. l’Assemblée fédérale. Les pronostics Keller-Sutter. la soutenir en masse, l’appui des peuvent évidemment être déjoués, Vert’libéraux et du PDC est loin d’être Etrange campagne... comme dans tout scrutin. Mais une Prétentions prématurées acquis. A ces motifs s’ajoute la campagne un élection de la présidente des Verts C’est là que commencent les difficul- Chez les premiers, des élus comme peu étrange des Verts et de leur prési- serait une grosse surprise, pour plu- tés des Verts. La culture politique Isabelle Chevalley (VD) ont déclaré que dente. Les écologistes ont longtemps sieurs raisons. suisse n’apprécie guère les assauts Regula Rytz se situait trop à gauche. attendu – tergiversé? – avant de décla- Poussés par leur fulgurante progres- contre la concordance. Expulser un Parmi les seconds, on grimace. «Elimi- mer leurs ambitions. Regula Rytz s’est sion aux élections fédérales d’octobre, ministre en place? Beaucoup de parle- ner un conseiller fédéral en place, c’est lancée moins d’un mois avant les élec- les Verts, devenus quatrième parti au mentaires rechignent à se prêter à déjà discutable, et cela l’est encore tions au Conseil fédéral. «Si l’on veut Conseil national, estiment avoir droit à l’exercice. plus si on s’attaque à une minorité, réellement siéger au gouvernement, il un siège ministériel. Et pour l’obtenir, En outre, les prétentions des Verts avec l’italophone Ignazio Cassis, ou à faut mener une vraie campagne, se ils n’ont pas le choix: il leur faut paraissent prématurées à une bonne Une élection de Regula Rytz, mercredi une femme, avec Karin Keller-Sutter», battre, avoir une stratégie. Les Verts déboulonner un ministre en place, vu partie du Parlement. Après tout, l’his- prochain, serait une grosse surprise. résume Christine Bulliard-Marbach, n’ont encore rien démontré sur ce qu’aucun ne démissionne. La cible a toire politique helvétique obéit à une Mais la présidente des Verts mène conseillère nationale (PDC/FR) et plan», remarque le conseiller national été définie, elle se nomme Ignazio constante: il faut confirmer à plusieurs quand même campagne pour un siège membre du comité du groupe du cen- Benjamin Roduit (PDC/VS). Cassis. Le libéral-radical tessinois est, reprises les bons scores électoraux au Conseil fédéral. KEYSTONE tre. Ce qui fait dire à plus d’un élu que la véri- entre autres, jugé coupable d’apparte- pour accéder au collège suprême. Les Le PDC a en outre de bonnes raisons table intention des Verts est de préparer nir à un parti surreprésenté au gouver- conservateurs (le PDC de l’époque), les Pour arriver à ses fins, Regula Rytz de jouer la prudence. Son unique le terrain, pour une nouvelle offensive nement, avec deux sièges sur sept, et socialistes et l’UDC en savent quelque doit engranger le plein de voix dans le ministre, la Valaisanne Viola Amherd, dans quatre ans, et de faire pression, en d’être en mal avec son rôle d’homme chose.
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