Patrick Hässig: from Swiss radio to hospital – and into parliament

Since autumn the nurse and former radio presenter Patrick Hässig has sat in the Swiss House of Representatives for the centrist Liberal Green Party. “Ever since I started working in nursing, I’ve had an issue that I want to get actively involved in politics,” Hässig says. He is sitting in the cafeteria of the Zurich hospital where he made the decision to enter politics. This is where he completed his training, worked for his first few years as a nursing specialist and experienced everyday hospital life and the working conditions in nursing for himself. In October the 45-year-old was elected to the House of Representatives for the Liberal Greens. To do so, he cut back professionally and reduced his workload as a carer. Now he wants to leave his mark on healthcare policy in the Swiss parliament. The swift and complete implementation of the care initiative, which Swiss voters approved in November 2021, is crucial. “There is a certain vacuum. Only a few politicians are standing up for ...