How much freedom does “Operation Libero” bring?

The Swiss “Operation Libero” sees itself not as a party but as a “political movement”. Founded in October 2014, it has especially become known for trying to influence referendums. Now it is also involved in the election campaign for the seats in the National Council and the Council of States.

km. On the last weekend of July, numerous Swiss newspapers gave the Co-President of “Operation Libero” Flavia Kleiner plenty of room to print an extensive interview. The majority of this interview consists of rhetorically strongly loaded polemics against the SVP and in particular their former party president and former Federal Councillor Christoph Blocher. The reader learns little about specific programme items. Or, for example, what does it mean, when it says: “for a progressive, future-oriented and open Switzerland”?
Nevertheless, it became clear what “Operation Libero” really wants: “a new majority in parliament” for a “forward […] especially in cooperation with Europe”. “Europe” is the language regime of the EU, which is often used to deceive people. And one probably does not fail if one considers “Operation Libero” as a “movement” for the Framework Agreement negotiated by the Federal Council with the EU, in the medium term also for Switzerland’s EU membership – with all negative consequences for sovereignty and for direct democracy of the country.
The strategic considerations that Ms Kleiner makes in the interview are interesting. She compares her “movement” with a “black swan”, i. e. a completely unexpected, but also all fascinating phenomenon that attracts full attention. Not at all fascinating is another comparison, which follows the statement that one sees the opportunity to “change the majority situation in the 2019 elections”: “It is like with the Navy Seals: They fly in, carry out their operation and disappear again”. The “Navy Seals” are a special unit of the US Navy, which is responsible among other things for targeted killings beyond law.
When asked who finances the “movement,” Ms. Kleiner denies any funding from an influential background. Others see that differently. In an article by Inside Paradeplatz on 28 November 2018, Isabel Villalon wrote: “A leading role in financing has probably Mr Heinz Karrer from economiesuisse. FDP is playing a part in the background. A big sleaze.
Isabel Villalon also sees parallels with developments in two other European countries: “In France, the format was successfully created for the first time. Also out of nowhere, ‘democracy in motion’ conquered the presidency. Lots of young, beautiful people and a grandmother (Brigitte). Now we are witnessing how an empty, all-promising political marketing box ends and an EU-servile, globalisation-friendly policy without any brakes throws the country into deep turmoil. In Spain, the marketing format was refined. The ‘C’ (Spanish for Ciudadanos = citizen) was launched, which is now considered as the third largest party in the country. The same in green (in this case orange). A smart, beautiful boy as a party leader, top model-like, intelligent young women as party executives: the same format, the same communication, the same content, the same fuss as in this country. Just Liberos in Spanish.”
Anticipatory, to some extent, Villalon also answered the question of why the background was denied. “The scam of being financed by many small donations was raised exactly in Spain and France. But this was wrong. In Spain the big banks and the employers’ association have got the ‘movement rolling by investing ten-figure sums. In France also the big banks invest big money. Both in Spain and in France one bank each acted as a collection basin for the ‘donations’ of the other banks (in Spain Banco Sabadell, in France Banque Edmond de Rothschild)”
This probably does not fit together with the Swiss Confederation and its principle of good faith.    •