On Monday, secretary general Carole Hartmann presented the DP campaign manifesto for the municipal elections in June. ‘No bei dir’ (‘close to you’) is the party’s slogan.
Hartmann lauded the efforts of the DP in recruiting additional people to achieve the party’s highest number of candidates ever. The DP has a total of 679 candidates and 47 lists in towns with proportional representation. This is 100 people more than during the 2017 municipal elections. The average age of candidates is 46.8 years. A quarter of them is under the age of 36. Women represent 37.1% of candidates.
“We want to continue taking responsibility in municipalities”, stated Hartmann.
The party’s campaign manifesto is built on four pillars. First, the DP wants to promote intergenerational cohabitation. Elderly people should be able to live on their own terms and young people should have their own spaces.
Second, municipal infrastructure should be designed to accommodate welcoming places like community-run cafes. Affordable and alternative housing should be promoted together with the private sector. Public transport should be further expanded with electric mobility and cycling lanes.
Third, the DP wants to ensure that towns become climate neutral, underlined Hartmann. Renewable energy has to be expanded, municipal buildings refurbished in terms of energy efficiency, and more green spaces created.
Fourth, retail should be expanded so that every town has a local post office and grocery store, for instance. If that is not feasible in a certain area, then a mobile service should be put in place.
Given that not all municipalities are exactly alike, the DP will further adapt its policies to individual towns and their needs, said officials.
168 of the DP candidates are still members of the JDL, the party’s youth section. JDL president Michael Agostini highlighted the fact that they contributed to the campaign manifesto, particularly on the issues of housing, mobility, and climate protection.
