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Trump’s victory: Swiss politicians react

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Trump’s victory: Swiss politicians react
Photo: Jim Watson/AFP

Reactions by Swiss politicians to Donald Trump’s election as US president ranged across the board on Wednesday morning, with some despairing at his victory and others welcoming it as bringing much-needed change.

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Switzerland’s Socialist Party slammed Trump as a megalomaniac and narcissist in a statement published on its website in which it said his election was a “warning sign”, particularly “for women’s rights, for cultural and societal diversity and for multilaterialism”.

His victory “compromises the world order created with the founding of the UN and the declaration on human rights 70 years ago as a response to Nazi atrocities, racism and colonialism. Instead, the megalomania and narcissism of Trump  threatens to reignite, on a global level, the flame of populism, aggressive nationalism and fear of human rights,” it said.

Socialist MP Susanne Leutenegger Oberholzer tweeted that his victory was a “black day for women, minorities, exports and Swiss francs”.

In contrast, Andreas Glarner, MP for the populist Swiss People’s Party who is known for his hardline views, told newspaper Blick he was “very pleased” that Trump had won, saying the businessman stood for “ a prosperous, self-confident America” under whose leadership “taxes will be lowered and jobs created”.

His election would “benefit the whole world,” he added.

Others were more measured. Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter, foreign policy officer for the Christian Democrat party, told the paper that Trump’s election “must be accepted as a democratic decision” and that she hoped he would be able to hold office “with dignity and responsibility”.

Speaking on radio RTS this morning as the election moved increasingly towards a Trump victory, foreign minister Didier Burkhalter was diplomatic in his response, reported news agencies.

Switzerland can “work with any administration,” he said, stressing that Switzerland had many interests in common with the US and a relatively strong relationship, and that it would aim to build relations within the new team.

“We must allow time for the new administration to make its mark and judge it afterwards,” he said.

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