Cédric Wermuth

{{Short description|Swiss politician (born 1986)}}{{Infobox Politician

| name = Cédric Wermuth

| office = Member of National Council (Switzerland)

| termstart = 5 December 2015

| image = Cédric Wermuth 2019.jpg

| caption = Official portrait, 2019

| birth_name = Cédric Wermuth

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|02|19|df=y}}

| birth_place = Jegenstorf, Switzerland

| citizenship = {{unbulleted list|Switzerland|Italy}}

| party = Social Democratic Party of Switzerland

| children = 2

| residence = Zofingen, Switzerland

| alma_mater = University of Zurich {{small|(Licentiate, MA)}}

| website = {{URL|cedricwermuth.ch|Official website}}
{{URL|https://www.parlament.ch/en/biografie/c%C3%A9dric-wermuth/4057|Parliament website}}

| office2 = Co-Chair of Social Democratic Party of Switzerland

| termstart2 = 17 October 2020

| constituency = Canton of Aargau

| spouse = {{marriage|Anja Pfenninger
|2015}}

| alongside2 = Mattea Meyer

}}

Cédric Wermuth{{Cite web |title=Cédric Wermuth in Baden aus Eggiwil und Italien |url=http://www.moneyhouse.ch/de/list/person/wermuth-cedric |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=Moneyhouse |language=de}} ({{IPA|de|ˈseːdrɪk ˈvɛʁmuːt}}; born 19 February 1986) is a Swiss politician who currently serves on the National Council for the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland since 2011. He currently also serves as co-president of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (SP) along with Mattea Meyer. He has formerly served as president of the Young Socialists of Switzerland (JUSO) and also a former vice president of the SP.

Early life and education

Wermuth was born 19 February 1986 in Jegenstorf, Switzerland, the older of two sons, to Otto Wermuth, a special education teacher, and Laurence Wermuth (née Dind; 1953–2014).{{Cite magazine |last=Polli |first=Tanja |date=5 August 2013 |title="Experimentieren ist wichtig" |url=https://www.beobachter.ch/familie/erziehung/generationen-experimentieren-ist-wichtig |access-date=4 November 2021 |magazine=Beobachter |language=de}} He has a younger brother Yann Wermuth (born 1989).

His paternal family originally was from Eggiwil. He had an italian-born grandmother from the German-speaking Trentino Alto Adige region who fled Fascism during World War II and came to Switzerland.{{Cite web |title=Cédric Wermuth: «Über das möchte ich öffentlich nicht reden» |url=https://www.bluewin.ch/de/leben/lifestyle/cedric-wermuth-ich-bin-kein-besonders-guter-verlierer-231132.html |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=blue News |language=de}} Wermuth was raised partially in Stetten, Lenzburg, Bünzen, Boswil, Baden, and Freiamt. His upbringing included living on farms.{{cite web|url=https://bvaargau.ch/c%C3%A9dric-wermuth-sp|title=Cédric Wermuth, SP|date=n.d.|publisher=Bauernverband Aargau|access-date=4 November 2021|language=de}}

Cedric Wermuth graduated from high school in Wohlen{{Cite web|last=Berger|first=Eva|title=Portrait Ständeratswahlen - Als Linker will Cédric Wermuth das Stöckli aufmischen|url=https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/aargau/kanton-aargau/als-linker-will-cedric-wermuth-das-stockli-aufmischen-ld.1384045|access-date=11 November 2021|website=Aargauer Zeitung|date=5 September 2019 |language=de}} and attended the University of Zürich, where he studied political science, history, economics, and philosophy. He has a Licentiate/Master of Arts degree.{{cite web|url=https://www.parlament.ch/de/biografie/c%C3%A9dric-wermuth/4057|title=Cédric Wermuth|date=n.d.|publisher=Federal Assembly|access-date=3 November 2021|language=de}}

Political career

He became a member of the Young Socialists of Switzerland (JUSO) at age thirteen{{cite web|last1=Jikhareva|first1=Anne|last2=Jirát|first2=Jan|date=19 December 2019|title="Die Zeit der Helden ist abgelaufen"|url=https://www.woz.ch/-a3ac|url-status=live|access-date=5 November 2021|publisher=WOZ Die Wochenzeitung|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219195957/https://www.woz.ch/-a3ac |archive-date=19 December 2019 }} and Wermuth's active involvement in politics began when he was fifteen. He wrote a letter to the editor criticizing one of the newspaper's authors for deemphasizing right-wing politics in their town.{{cite web|url=https://www.20min.ch/story/bundesrat-das-koennt-ich-der-familie-nicht-antun-253663618212|title="Bundesrat? Das könnt ich der Familie nicht antun"|date=21 August 2015|last=Kayser|first=Romana|publisher=20 Minuten|access-date=5 November 2021|language=de}} He received a number of threatening and critical phone calls from readers; his parents struggled to protect him without sheltering him.

In the mid-2000s, he became "really politicized" by his interactions with neo-Nazi groups at his school and worked hard to uproot anti-Semitic conspiracy theories such as those presented in The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.{{cite web|url=https://www.gra.ch/interview-cedric-wermuth/|title=Interview mit Cédric Wermuth: Antisemitische Verschwörungsfantasien und deren Dynamik in einer Welt in der Krise|date=18 March 2021|publisher=GRA|access-date=4 November 2021|language=de}} He became JUSO's central secretary in 2005, and served as its president between 2008 and 2011.{{cite news |date=18 October 2020 |title=Cédric Wermuth et Mattea Meyer à la coprésidence du PS |language=fr |newspaper=Le Temps |url=https://www.letemps.ch/suisse/cedric-wermuth-mattea-meyer-copresidence-ps |access-date=4 November 2021}}{{cite web |date=17 October 2020 |title=Neues SP-Präsidium - SP wählt Mattea Meyer und Cédric Wermuth an die Parteispitze |url=https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/neues-sp-praesidium-sp-waehlt-mattea-meyer-und-cedric-wermuth-an-die-parteispitze |access-date=15 January 2021 |website=Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) |language=de}} In 2010 he was sentenced to a fine for trespassing{{Cite web|last=Mehlin|first=Rosmarie|title=Hausbesetzung - Einsprachen abgelehnt: Zehn Jusos gehen baden|url=https://www.badenertagblatt.ch/aargau/baden/einsprachen-abgelehnt-zehn-jusos-gehen-baden-ld.2032933|url-status=live|access-date=6 November 2021|website=Badener Tagblatt|date=3 November 2010 |language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106070037/https://www.badenertagblatt.ch/aargau/baden/einsprachen-abgelehnt-zehn-jusos-gehen-baden-ld.2032933 |archive-date=6 November 2021 }} after having taken part in a squat of a hotel in Baden in 2009.{{Cite web|date=18 February 2010|title=SP-Vizepräsident Cédric Wermuth wegen Hausfriedensbruchs verurteilt|url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/alle-news-in-kuerze/sp-vizepraesident-c%C3%A9dric-wermuth-wegen-hausfriedensbruchs-verurteilt/8324218|url-status=live|access-date=6 November 2021|website=Swissinfo|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627182005/https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/alle-news-in-kuerze/sp-vizepraesident-c%C3%A9dric-wermuth-wegen-hausfriedensbruchs-verurteilt/8324218 |archive-date=27 June 2021 }} During this time, he worked as a personal assistant to Urs Hofmann; and in development cooperation for Solidar Suisse. He served on the Baden Residents' Council from 2010 to 2011. In 2011, just months after resigning as president of JUSO, he joined the National Council as a member of the Finance Commission and the president of a finance sub-committee. Shortly after, he was elected as the vice president of the Federal Assembly's SP. In 2015, he moved to the State Politician Commission and the Business Audit Commission, where he served until 2019 and 2020. He was also elected vice president of the SP Parliamentary Group in the Federal Assembly during this time. He was a candidate for the Swiss Council of States for the Canton Aargau in the Federal Elections of October 2019, but was not elected.{{Cite news|last=Surber|first=Michael|title=Aargau: Wermuth verzichtet auf zweiten Ständeratswahlgang {{!}} NZZ|language=de|work=Neue Zürcher Zeitung|url=https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/wermuth-verzichtet-auf-2-wahlgang-ld.1517078?reduced=true|access-date=11 November 2021}} But during the same election he was also a candidate for the National Council, for which he was re-elected.{{Cite web|date=22 October 2019|title=Cédric Wermuth (SP) zieht Kandidatur zurück|url=https://www.bote.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/cedric-wermuth-sp-zieht-kandidatur-zurueck;art46447,1203779|access-date=11 November 2021|website=Bote der Urschweiz|language=de}} As of 2021, he is in his third legislative term and part of the Economic and Taxes Commission. He also consults for Spinas Civil Voices, a civil rights organization in Zürich.

He and Mattea Meyer were elected co-presidents of the SP in 2020 as Christian Levrat stepped down.{{cite web|url=https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/10/switzerland-social-democratic-party-sp-copresidents|title="Stopping Things Getting Worse Isn't Enough"|last=Balhorn|first=Loren|date=16 February 2020|publisher=Jacobin Mag|access-date=4 November 2021|language=en}} They received 96% of the vote.{{cite web|url=https://www.archyde.com/new-sp-presidium-sp-elects-mattea-meyer-and-cedric-wermuth-to-the-party-leadership-news/|title=New SP Presidium – SP elects Mattea Meyer and Cédric Wermuth to the party leadership – News|date=17 October 2020|publisher=Archyde|access-date=5 November 2021|language=en}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/politologin-haeusermann-im-interview-wie-steht-es-um-die-sp-ld.1582603?reduced=true|title=Die SP unter Meyer/Wermuth: "Noch ein paar Mal eine Rentenreform zu verhindern, reicht sicher nicht"|last=Tribelhorn|first=Marc|newspaper=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |date=19 October 2020|publisher=NZZ|access-date=4 November 2021|language=de}} In the following months, opponents of the SP labeled Wermuth quiet and uninterested as opposed to Meyer, who they thought had more presence. In response, he criticized them for assuming she would be doing the secretarial work while he served as the face of their presidency.{{cite web|last1=Berger|first1=Eva|last2=Cavalli|first2=Rolf|date=27 July 2020|title=Wie viel Sozialismus verträgt die Schweiz, Cédric Wermuth?|url=https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/schweiz/wie-viel-sozialismus-vertragt-die-schweiz-cedric-wermuth-ld.1304299|url-status=live|access-date=10 November 2021|publisher=Aargauer Zeitung|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515230948/https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/schweiz/wie-viel-sozialismus-vertragt-die-schweiz-cedric-wermuth-ld.1304299 |archive-date=15 May 2021 }} He also pointed out that Meyer was asked questions about work/family balance during their campaign while he was not, and how her hate mail and criticism often contains sexual violence threats unlike his.

He values working with many different personalities and ideologies. Despite not agreeing politically, he and Thierry Burkart, who also represents Aargau, established the Mittelland Rail Link Committee, which aims to improve transportation in the canton. He also collaborates with those within his party; he co-wrote Die Service-Public-Revolution, published in 2020, with author Beat Ringger and is currently writing a book with Mattea Meyer.{{cite web|last=Schnell|first=Urs|date=2 October 2020|title=Cédric Wermuth will Corona-Krise nutzen|url=https://www.infosperber.ch/politik/schweiz/cedric-wermuth-will-corona-krise-nutzen/|access-date=4 November 2021|publisher=InfoSperber|language=de}}

Political positions

Wermuth espouses left-wing politics and wants the SP to be more radical.{{cite web |last=Surber |first=Kaspar |date=7 March 2019 |title="Ein unkritisches Ja ist langfristig falsch" |url=https://www.woz.ch/-969e |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402045452/https://www.woz.ch/-969e |archive-date=2 April 2019 |access-date=5 November 2021 |publisher=WOZ Die Wochenzeitung |language=de}}{{cite web|last=Müller|first=Leo|date=19 March 2013|title=Machtnetz von Cédric Wermuth: Der Neinsager|url=https://www.handelszeitung.ch/panorama/machtnetz-von-cedric-wermuth-der-neinsager|url-status=live|access-date=5 November 2021|publisher=Handelszeitung|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010005609/https://www.handelszeitung.ch/panorama/machtnetz-von-cedric-wermuth-der-neinsager |archive-date=10 October 2020 }}{{cite web |last=Bötschi |first=Bruno |date=12 April 2019 |title=Cédric Wermuth: "Je ne désire pas en parler publiquement" |url=https://www.bluewin.ch/fr/lifestyle/cedric-wermuth-je-ne-desire-pas-en-parler-publiquement-235216.html |access-date=4 November 2021 |publisher=blue news |language=fr}} While the SP's opponents call them the "Prohibition Party" due to the constraints they aim to put on corporations, Wermuth and Meyer want it to be known as the "Freedom Party".{{cite web|last=Renz|first=Fabian|date=28 August 2021|title=Wermuth und Meyer wollen SP zur Freiheitspartei formen|url=https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/wermuth-und-meyer-wollen-sp-zur-freiheitspartei-formen-851188779232|url-status=live|access-date=4 November 2021|publisher=Tages Anzeiger|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828042046/https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/wermuth-und-meyer-wollen-sp-zur-freiheitspartei-formen-851188779232 |archive-date=28 August 2021 }}

=Climate change=

Wermuth and his family live in a housing co-op, share a car with other families, and buy vegetables directly from the source to lower their footprint. He regards climate change as a class issue and wants to increase non-profit housing construction and expand solar energy both to save the environment and to improve quality of life for impoverished families. He thinks Switzerland should participate in the Green New Deal and that private car and plane travel should be decreased across the board. He finds the "moral thinking" that all people are responsible for global warming "fundamentally wrong" because corporations did and continue to do the most damage.

For the World Wide Fund for Nature's 2012 Earth Hour, he bet the people of Switzerland that if he could get 200 people to ride their bikes more often, he would clean their bikes.{{cite web|last=Neidhart|first=Philippe|date=3 June 2012|title=Cédric Wermuth schrubbt und poliert für ein besseres Klima|url=https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/aargau/baden/cedric-wermuth-schrubbt-und-poliert-fur-ein-besseres-klima-ld.1921579|url-status=live|access-date=5 November 2021|publisher=Aargauer Zeitung|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106042008/https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/aargau/baden/cedric-wermuth-schrubbt-und-poliert-fur-ein-besseres-klima-ld.1921579 |archive-date=6 November 2021 }} In the end, he cleaned only a few, but considers it a success nonetheless.

=COVID-19=

Wermuth thinks that, like a lot of other countries, Switzerland could have dealt with the emergence of COVID-19 more effectively. While he does not personally like COVID passports, he believes everyone must do their part to quash the virus and thus voted in favor of the COVID-19 Act.{{cite web|last=Cassidy|first=Alan|date=1 November 2021|title="Ich bin mit Impfskepsis vertraut"|url=https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/ich-bin-mit-impfskepsis-vertraut-202000239381|url-status=live|access-date=4 November 2021|publisher=Tages Anzeiger|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211101192111/https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/ich-bin-mit-impfskepsis-vertraut-202000239381 |archive-date=1 November 2021 }} He does think, however, that vaccines are the most effective method to end the pandemic and that this should be the main focus.{{cite web|last=Aebi|first=Mischa|date=31 October 2021|title=Marco Chiesa verweigert Impfaufruf der Parteipräsidenten|url=https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/marco-chiesa-verweigert-impfaufruf-der-parteipraesidenten-261269539945|url-status=live|access-date=4 November 2021|publisher=Tages Anzeiger|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030222121/https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/marco-chiesa-verweigert-impfaufruf-der-parteipraesidenten-261269539945 |archive-date=30 October 2021 }}

=Drug legalization=

In 2008, he smoked a joint while discussing cannabis legalization during a National Council meeting to demonstrate his support of decriminalizing it.{{cite web|last=Scheurer|first=Lynn|date=30 August 2019|title=Die andere Seite des Cédric Wermuth|url=https://www.schweizer-illustrierte.ch/people/swiss-stars/die-andere-seite-des-cedric-wermuth|url-status=live|access-date=5 November 2021|publisher=Schweizer Illustrierte|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831030442/https://www.schweizer-illustrierte.ch/people/swiss-stars/die-andere-seite-des-cedric-wermuth |archive-date=31 August 2019 }}

=Economics=

Capitalism and corporate greed are among Wermuth's main focuses. He believes capitalism is unjust and treated like a religion by many people, particularly the wealthy.{{cite web|url=https://www.thelocal.ch/20111207/1965/|title=Young Socialist amazed by WEF plaudits|last=Mir|first=Meritxell|date=7 December 2011|publisher=The Local|access-date=4 November 2021|language=en}} He was a staunch supporter of the 99% Initiative, which aimed to increase wealth redistribution by increasing taxes on capital gain.{{cite web|url=https://www.bzbasel.ch/videos/99-prozent-initiative-der-mit-lohn-ist-immer-mehr-der-dumme-wermuth-wettert-gegen-privilegien-fuer-reiche-ld.2178970|title="Der mit Lohn ist immer mehr der Dumme": Wermuth wettert gegen "Privilegien für Reiche"|date=26 August 2021|publisher=BZ Basel|access-date=4 November 2021|language=de}}{{cite web|last=Thomi|first=Samuel|date=8 May 2021|title="Verkackt": SP-Wermuth attackiert FDP-Bundesräte wegen EU-Verhandlungen|url=https://www.bzbasel.ch/news-service/inland-schweiz/delegiertenversammlung-sp-ld.2134750|url-status=live|access-date=4 November 2021|publisher=Basellandschaftliche Zeitung|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508102251/https://www.bzbasel.ch/news-service/inland-schweiz/delegiertenversammlung-sp-ld.2134750 |archive-date=8 May 2021 }}{{cite web|last=Geiser|first=Urs|date=26 September 2021|title=Push for more wealth distribution flops at ballot box|url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/push-for-wealth-distribution-set-to-fail-at-ballot-box/46965580|url-status=live|access-date=5 November 2021|publisher=Swissinfo|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926101006/https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/push-for-wealth-distribution-set-to-fail-at-ballot-box/46965580 |archive-date=26 September 2021 }} He does not believe that companies, corporations, and the wealthy are being taxed enough, and that this is unconstitutional because the Constitution calls for "taxation based on economic performance."{{cite web|url=https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/sp-ergreift-referendum-gegen-steuer-erleichterung-205800410605|title=SP ergreift Referendum gegen Steuer erleichterung|date=2 June 2021|last=Felber-Eisele|first=Philipp|access-date=4 November 2021|publisher=Tages Anzeiger|language=de}} He believes in salary caps—the highest salary should be no more than 12x the lowest salary in the company across all levels—and a minimum wage, which currently does not exist in Switzerland. He thinks that the rich protest against these equalizing values by threatening to create an economic crisis, and that corporations are the reason governments cannot find solutions. He does not consider wealth a crime but does think the consequential perpetuation of the class struggle and wealth hoarding is criminal.{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/de-ch/nachrichten/politik/sp-co-chef-c%C3%A9dric-wermuth-zur-juso-initiative-einige-wenige-sind-einfach-verdammt-reich-geworden/ar-AAOpW5d?|title=SP-Co-Chef Cédric Wermuth zur Juso-Initiative: "Einige wenige sind einfach verdammt reich geworden"|date=15 September 2021|last=Studer|first=Ruedi|publisher=MSN|access-date=5 November 2021|language=de}}

He prescribes two responsibilities to corporations: insurance that their employees' human rights are not being exploited, and responsibility-taking when a mistake is made.{{cite web|url=https://www.bzbasel.ch/aargau/kanton-aargau/trifft-es-nur-glencore-oder-auch-die-kmu-wermuth-und-fluri-diskutieren-die-konzernverantwortungsinitiative-ld.1904247|title=Trifft es nur Glencore oder auch die KMU? Wermuth und Fluri diskutieren die Konzernverantwortungsinitiative|last=Kobelt|first=Dominic|date=18 November 2020|publisher=BZ Basel|access-date=4 November 2021|language=de}}

He considers that jobs traditionally viewed as women's work, such as nursing and childcare, are underpaid and that politicians should not be making significantly more than people in these occupations.

=Gender, sexuality, and family=

Wermuth believes in marriage equality, more equalized parenting and considers himself a feminist.{{cite web|url=https://www.thelocal.com/20170630/hopes-rise-for-gay-marriage-in-switzerland/|title=Hopes rise for gay marriage in Switzerland|date=30 June 2017|publisher=The Local|access-date=5 November 2021|language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bzbasel.ch/schweiz/streitgespraech-das-koennten-sich-frauen-niemals-erlauben-sp-feminist-wermuth-und-svp-unternehmerin-gutjahr-ueber-gleichstellung-ld.2095558?reduced=true|title="Das könnten sich Frauen niemals erlauben!": SP-Feminist Wermuth und SVP-Unternehmerin Gutjahr über Gleichstellung|last=Bernet|first=Christoph|date=2 May 2021|publisher=BZ Basel|access-date=4 November 2021|language=de}} He has recommended the National Council grant 38 weeks—to be shared between both parents—of leave following the birth of their child.{{cite web|url=https://www.rebeccaruiz.ch/2015/12/05/resolution-pour-un-conge-parental-ou-paternite/|title=Résolution pour un congé parental ou paternité|date=5 December 2015|publisher=Rebecca Ruiz|access-date=5 November 2021|last=Ruiz|first=Rebecca|language=fr}} He wants external childcare to be free and a guaranteed spot in childcare for all Swiss children.{{cite web|url=https://www.nau.ch/politik/bundeshaus/srf-verschiebt-aufzeichnung-fur-cedric-wermuth-65768817|title=SRF verschiebt Aufzeichnung für Cédric Wermuth|date=26 August 2020|last=Jeanneret|first=Elisa|publisher=NAU|access-date=5 November 2021|language=de}} A better work/life balance for National Council members and other politicians is also something he has supported.{{cite news|last=Zaslawski|first=Valerie|date=6 June 2017|title=Keine Privilegien für Parlamentarier mit Kleinkindern|url=https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/vereinbarkeit-familie-und-politik-was-junge-parlamentarier-beschaeftigt-ld.1299411?reduced=true|url-status=live|access-date=4 November 2021|newspaper=Neue Zürcher Zeitung|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106042011/https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/vereinbarkeit-familie-und-politik-was-junge-parlamentarier-beschaeftigt-ld.1299411?reduced=true |archive-date=6 November 2021 }}

Until gender equality is less of an issue in society, Wermuth believes that hiring quotas should be required to stop "mediocre men" hiring even more "mediocre men", while more qualified women have to bend over backwards to even have their résumé considered. Gender discrimination is a social issue and he is very clear that men should be interested and involved in supporting feminism and decreasing inequality.{{cite web|url=https://www.watson.ch/schweiz/gesellschaft%20&%20politik/498031012-frauenstimmrecht-cedric-wermuth-und-diana-gutjahr-im-streitgespraech|title=SVP-Gutjahr vs. SP-Wermuth: "Das könnten sich die Frauen niemals erlauben!"|date=6 February 2021|last=Bernet|first=Christoph|publisher=Watson|access-date=5 November 2021|language=de}} He also believes that abortion is the woman's choice and that women's rights are human rights. He attends Women's Marches with his wife and daughters. The only women's rights issue he grapples with is whether to legalize prostitution because he can see both good and bad in each decision.

=International relations and immigration=

Wermuth is in favor of Switzerland joining the European Union (EU) but requires several things to happen before it can be realized. Switzerland must prove itself cooperative and measures must be taken to guarantee public services and wage protection.{{cite web|url=https://www.bzbasel.ch/schweiz/interview-zerreisst-europa-und-der-rahmenvertrag-die-sp-herr-wermuth-ld.2136105|title=Zerreissen die EU-Frage und der Rahmenvertrag die SP, Herr Wermuth?|last=von Matt|first=Othmar|date=11 May 2021|publisher=BZ Basel|access-date=4 November 2021|language=de}} These necessities should apply equally to Swiss citizens and to everyone already in the EU.{{cite web|url=https://news.in-24.com/news/11321.html|title=Cédric Wermuth wants Switzerland closer to Europe|date=8 May 2021|publisher=News.in-24|access-date=4 November 2021|language=en}} Children should be given a Swiss passport at birth if they were born in Switzerland, regardless of their parents' nationality, and Swiss people should know at least one national language (Swiss, German, or French) rather than only English.{{cite web|url=https://www.swissjews.ch/de/news/sig-news/politprofis-am-jewpa/|title=Politprofis am jewpa|date=2 March 2019|publisher=Schweizerischer Israelitischer Gemeindebund|access-date=5 November 2021|language=de}} He believes that both European integration and social progress are possible.

He is also in favor of supporting countries considered to be hot topics; he previously served as co-president of the Switzerland-Kosovo and Swiss-Syriac Parliamentary groups. He has given Kosovo his full support several times{{cite web|url=https://kryeministri.rks-gov.net/en/prime-minister-kurti-hosted-the-co-president-of-switzerlands-social-democratic-party-cedric-wermuth/|title=Prime Minister Kurti hosted the Co-President of Switzerland's Social Democratic Party, Cédric Wermuth|date=24 May 2021|publisher=Krye Ministri|access-date=4 November 2021|language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://president-ksgov.net/en/news/president-osmani-received-the-swiss-mp-cedric-wermuth|title=President Osmani received the Swiss MP, Cédric Wermuth|date=n.d.|publisher=President of the Republic of Kosovo|access-date=4 November 2021|language=en}} and has assumed a political godfatherhood for the Belarusian Viktoryia Mirontsava, who is imprisoned in Belarus.{{cite web|url=https://www.lphr.org/en/valerie-piller-carrard-national-council-sp-mattea-meyer-national-council-sp-and-cedric-wermuth-national-council-sp-have-taken-over-a-godparenthood-for-political-prisoners-in-belarus/|title=Members of Parliament from Switzerland take over godparenthood for Ala Sharko, Anastasiya Mirontsava and Viktoryia Mirontsava|date=3 April 2021|publisher=LPHR|access-date=4 November 2021|language=en}} He gets very emotional about discussions of migrants due to his family's history of refugeeism and calls all refugee crises "the result of blatant inequality and exploitation."

=Other issues=

Wermuth supports the idea of Switzerland as a welfare state{{cite news|last=Neuhaus|first=Christina|date=22 May 2021|title=Cédric Wermuth: "Das Rahmenabkommen ist ja eigentlich die schlechteste aller Varianten für ein gesichertes Verhältnis mit der EU"|url=https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/cedric-wermuth-das-rahmenabkommen-ist-ja-eigentlich-die-schlechteste-aller-varianten-fuer-ein-gesichertes-verhaeltnis-mit-der-eu-ld.1625992?reduced=true|url-status=live|access-date=4 November 2021|newspaper=Neue Zürcher Zeitung|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031165006/https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/cedric-wermuth-das-rahmenabkommen-ist-ja-eigentlich-die-schlechteste-aller-varianten-fuer-ein-gesichertes-verhaeltnis-mit-der-eu-ld.1625992?reduced=true |archive-date=31 October 2021 }} and that social services such as social security for the self-employed; pensions; lower healthcare premiums; dismissal protection for those over 50; and free high-performance internet and mobile communication should be available to all residents.{{cite web|last=Krasniqi|first=Hava Kurti|date=6 April 2020|title=Interview mit Cédric Wermuth|url=https://www.lucify.ch/2020/04/06/interview-mit-cedric-wermuth/|url-status=live|access-date=4 November 2021|publisher=Lucify|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808082555/https://www.lucify.ch/2020/04/06/interview-mit-cedric-wermuth/ |archive-date=8 August 2020 }}

When asked about his opinion on the separation of church and state, he asks why, if there is a God, so many people go hungry, and how, if God is not omnipotent, his presence in court would be helpful.{{cite web|url=https://www.nau.ch/politik/bundeshaus/sp-streitet-uber-verhaltnis-von-religion-und-politik-65476120|title=SP streitet über Verhältnis von Religion und Politik|date=28 January 2019|last=Krummenacher|first=Christoph|publisher=NAU|access-date=5 November 2021|language=de}}

Wermuth has also worked with Jewish organizations to get their perspectives on anti-Semitism in Switzerland and to learn more about Judaism. His conclusion was that Switzerland is not doing enough to abnormalize anti-Semitism or using anti-Semitism to aim bigotry at Muslims.

Personal life

Cédric Wermuth and his brother Yann grew up in a very liberal household focused on confronting inequality and helping those in need. Their father says he and his wife never sat them down to spell out their values and ideology, but the boys learned from their childhood experiences. Otto was involved in SP and Laurence participated in anti-nuclear campaigns. They invited refugees—especially those from Yugoslavia in the 1990s—to their home and did what they could to support these families. Cédric credits these experiences as where his interest in social justice began. He and Yann were given enough autonomy growing up that they developed self-regulation and self-discipline; their parents never used corporal punishment or what Cédric refers to as "authoritarian structures." The family read voraciously and both boys were successful in school.

Laurence struggled with bipolar disorder and made several suicide attempts throughout her life, particularly when experiencing depressive episodes. She died in Boswil in 2014 due to an accident. Cédric believes mental illness should not be taboo and that he is "proud to be my mother's son." He described her as the "warmest person" he has ever met.

Wermuth and his wife Anja live in a Minergie-P-Eco certified co-op in Zofingen with their two daughters.{{cite web|url=https://www.schweizer-illustrierte.ch/cedric-wermuth-mit-freundin-und-privat|title=Cédric Wermuth mit Freundin und privat|date=n.d.|publisher=Schweizer Illustrierte|access-date=5 November 2021|language=de}}{{cite web|url=https://cedricwermuth.ch/ueber-mich/|title=ÜBER CÉDRIC|date=n.d.|publisher=Cédric Wermuth|access-date=3 November 2021|language=de|archive-date=6 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106042009/https://cedricwermuth.ch/ueber-mich/|url-status=dead}} She is a teacher and translator in Lucerne; Wermuth said he was attracted to her because she was the "first to get him rhetorically under the table." He has Swiss and Italian dual citizenship.

During his childhood and into his adult life, he has admired Rosa Luxemburg, Micheline Calmy-Rey, Ruth Dreifuss, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and wishes he had Roger Federer's modesty.