Election ceremony Aargau celebrates National Council President Maja Riniker

The newly elected President of the National Council, Maja Riniker (FDP), was given a festive welcome in the canton of Aargau on Wednesday. The program included a parade, a ceremony in the reformed town church and two drinks receptions with the public.

Riniker and the guests of honor took a special train from Bern to Aarau in the afternoon. The cantonal capital rolled out the red carpet at platform 1 of the train station to pay tribute to the highest Swiss woman.

The 46-year-old Riniker was celebrated during the procession from the station to the Reformed Church, led by the Aarau town band. Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis accompanied Switzerland's highest-ranking woman. She was followed by many representatives from politics and the authorities: Onlookers pulled out their cell phones for a snapshot.

The ceremony took place in the town church. Federal Councillor and party colleague Cassis said that Riniker was "a symbol of dialog and mutual respect".

Markus Dieth (center), who lives in the canton of Aargau, praised the politician's many good qualities: "You impress with your versatility, your knowledge and your expertise as well as your openness to the world."

In the church, Riniker recalled the motto of her presidential year: "Cohesion through diversity". She said she was still deeply moved and honored that 170 Council colleagues had expressed their confidence in her on Monday.

"Canton of female National Council presidents"

After Christine Egerszegi-Obrist (FDP), Pascale Bruderer (SP) and Irène Kälin (Greens), Riniker is the fourth woman from Aargau to hold the office of President of the National Council since 2007. "We are a canton of female National Council presidents," Bruderer stated at the ceremony. We are proud that the tradition is being continued with Riniker.

Aargau Grand Council President Mirjam Kosch (Greens) had previously said at the stop of the special train in Murgenthal, the first Aargau municipality on the Bern-Zurich railroad line: "I am delighted that such a competent, modern and stylish woman from Aargau is once again traveling through our country as the highest Swiss woman."

After the ceremony in the town church, the program included an aperitif with the public in the Kultur- und Kongresshaus. The guests then took an extra bus to nearby Suhr, Riniker's home town. Another aperitif was held there with the local population.

SDA