Archive: https://archive.is/2025.03.16-112421/https://www.ft.com/content/38de65f3-6ea1-4056-856c-601f71bb1cb3
Just two months ago, Switzerland’s new defence minister was seen as an outsider with little chance of securing a federal government post.
But Martin Pfister, an army colonel and cantonal minister who advocates for more defence co-operation with Natoand EU neighbours, is set to take office next month after defeating a more conservative rival earlier this week.
This is so weird. In all of the Swiss news everyone is saying Pfister is more conservative than expected and all leftists are angry. It’s weird that this article is trying to paint him as an outsider… He’s very much a figure of the conservative wing of the centrist party.
Well, the other option was basically as close to the svp as possible. So Pfister is the better option regardless.
The way I understood it that he’s outsider in his own circles, like you have people who aren’t necessarily team players but their other contributions merit keeping them close. The article doesn’t dwell on it and I lack local context so thank you for providing it.