23 March 2022
The “Working Group Statutes Plus” has run for the elections for the Board of the Friends of the Constitution in order to offer an alternative to the members of the association. The election process is underway, the election officer has delivered the election documents these days.
In the meantime, shocking information has come to the public about the way the previous board worked. From this information we have to conclude that there will be legal proceedings against the association, for which the previous board members will have to answer, but the whole process will put a not insignificant burden on the new board.
After a thorough assessment and discussion within our team, we have jointly come to the conclusion that we will not accept an election to the Board.
We are aware that this will disappoint many members of the association – we ask for their understanding. Our will to make a substantial contribution together with constitutional friends for change in society is unbroken. The strategy has changed. We are all still convinced, even inspired, by the ideals and the great vision that Christoph Pfluger developed more than two years ago. And we have decided to leave the old behind and make a new start: We have founded the association “Constitutional Alliance Switzerland”, based on the new statutes that we have developed as a working group. The founders of the association are: Thomas Börlin, Pablo Hess, Erwin Weinzinger, Stefan Lang, Andrea di Ninno, Adélaide Charrière, Andreas Röthlisberger.
The objective for us remains the same, but it is based on a new foundation: we are reflecting on the vision, the charter and the purpose of the association, namely to help the fundamental values of our constitution find their true meaning. We are committed to transparency and participatory decision-making wherever possible. This means that proven structures such as the association and the board will be expanded and more broadly supported with grassroots democratic elements. We want to lead the new association into a next phase of political change. The Corona crisis is not over, the new contract with the WHO sends its regards. We believe in the power of our Charter and are willing to stand united to contribute to real democracy in Switzerland.
Our website will go online in a few days. Interested people can inform themselves about it and register as members. In a first phase, we will send our statutes to the members and interested parties, conduct a consultation on them, incorporate input on them and present them to the members for a vote at an extraordinary general assembly in the course of the summer. At the same time, we will complete the Executive Board. At present it is composed of: Andreas Röthlisberger (Chair), Thomas Börlin, Erwin Weinzinger, Stefan Lang, Andrea di Ninno.
With this approach, we can use our strengths for the future and are not forced to tie up unnecessary resources for “clean-up work”. The “old” Executive Board remains responsible for its actions.