Swiss Voters Elected “Black Sheep”

Ricardo Lumengo is proud to be the first black man in Swiss Parliament: “I am a black sheep that was elected.” This is how the lawyer from the watch city of Biel presented himself to the ‘Bieler Tagblatt’. The newspaper then talked to the president of the regional SPP (Swiss People’s Party) about Lumengo: “Switzerland has become increasingly multicultural.” And he does not believe the choice of Lumengo to be a reaction of the voters against the controversal “SVP-Plakate” (SPP black-sheep-posters). “His great popularity was the decisive factor,” he added without mentioning what made him so popular.

Who is the native Angolan?
Lumengo rapidly climbed the political ladder: The 45 year old lawyer has been a member of the City Council of Biel for three years. Last year, he was elected as a member of the Cantonal Parliament of Berne. And now, he is even entitled to represent the region of Biel in the Swiss Federal Parliament, together with the governing Mayor of Biel, Hans Stoeckli, for the four years to come. Both are members of the Social Democrats (SP).

Political Refugee
“I am very pleased about my election”, says Lumengo, “especially after the attack of the ‘Freiheitspartei’ ” (FPS, the regional ultra liberal party by police director Erich Scherrer). Lumengo calls this a “great satisfaction”. After a car crash, the said FPS reported him for “violation of duty” and called him a lier on their website.  Lumengo got fined for that. He is now convinced that his election was a response of the citizens against the campaign of the SPP. “I am a black sheep that was being elected”, he says with regard to the controversal posters.

Lawyer and unifying figure
Lumengo wants to fight for the rights of foreigners and for their integration into Swiss society. He also keeps in mind the education system and the prevention of unemployment. After having received a permit for stay as a political refugee, Lumengo studied law at the University of Fribourg, and now works as a legal consultant at the intercultural centre “Multimondo” in Biel.

“Schwarzes Schaf” ist jetzt im Schweizer Parlament

Ricardo Lumengo ist stolz, erster Schwarzer zu sein: “Ich bin ein schwarzes Schaf, das gewählt wurde.” So präsentierte sich der Bieler Jurist gestern dem Bieler Tagblatt. Das Blatt sprach auch mit dem Berner SVP-Präsidenten über Lumengo: “Die Schweiz ist multikultureller geworden.” Er glaubt nicht, dass Lumengos Wahl eine Reaktion auf die umstrittenen SVP-Plakate sei. “Seine grosse Publizität war ausschlaggebend.”

Wer ist der gebürtige Angolaner?
Lumengos politische Karriere verlief rasant: Seit drei Jahren politisiert der 45-jährige Jurist für die PSR im Bieler Stadtrat. Letztes Jahr wurde er für die SP in den Grossen Rat im Kanton gewählt. Nun darf er für die nächsten vier Jahre zusammen mit Parteikollege Hans Stöckli Biel und Umgebung im Bundeshaus vertreten.

Politischer Flüchtling
“Die Wahl freut mich sehr”, sagt Lumengo, “besonders nach den heftigen Attacken der Freiheitspartei”. Das sei eine “grosse Befriedigung”. Nach einem Autounfall zeigte ihn die in Biel bekannte Freiheitspartei FPS (von Polizeidirektor Erich Scherrer) wegen pflichtwidrigen Verhaltens an und betitelte ihn im Internet als Lügner. Für das Vergehen wurde Lumengo gebüsst. Seine Wahl sei eine Antwort der Bevölkerung auf die Kampagne der SVP. “Ich bin ein schwarzes Schaf, das gewählt wurde”, sagt er in Anspielung auf die SVP-Plakate.

Jurist und Integrationsfigur
Lumengo will sich im Parlament für die Integration von Ausländern und deren Rechte einsetzen. Das Bildungswesen und die Bekämpfung der Arbeitslosigkeit liegen ihm ebenfalls am Herzen. Nachdem er in Schweiz eine Aufenthaltsbewilligung als politischer Flüchtling erhalten hatte, studierte Lumengo in Freiburg Jura und arbeitet heute als juristischer Berater am interkulturellen Begegnungszentrum Multimondo in Biel.

Reviews Swiss politics Roger Federer Swiss Events Movies

Swiss Elections 2007 Result Update 22-Oct-1:00 p.m.

Far right wing clipped despite Swiss People’s Party’s victory jig!!

A much exposed right-wing member of the Swiss National Council NR Ulrich Schlueer has lost his mandate after this year’s election despite the phenomenal result of the Swiss People’s Party in the Swiss National Council. Ulrich Schlüer was interviewed before by The Independent in connection with the campaign about the black sheep posters during his election. He had been identified with the black sheep campagne even before the pre-election riots in Berne, Switzerland.

Those of you who think that the Zurich wing of the Swiss People’s party – as formerly cherished by Government member (Bundesrat) Christoph Blocher – has thus been weekend enough because of the widely hated black sheep campain, may be disillusioned later again. Schluuer has particularly lost votes because of his harsh tone which made many SVP voters embarrassed about Switzerland and its reputation. In Zurich, by the way, the result of the ‘Upper Chamber’ is not out yet. The first round came up with Dr. Felix Gutzwiler, FDP, as winner for the first mandate. The second round might turn out in favor of Ueli Maurer, president of the SVP party, as the second Zurich representative of the upper chamber, which means…
…Dr. Ulrich Schlüer as runner-up will be in parliament again by taking the MP seat of Maurer!

For more detailed results for both the parties and its elected members in both chambres, click National Council (Nationalrat), Upper Chamber (Ständerat) and Overview in German.

Reviews Swiss politics Roger Federer Swiss Events Movies