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Sanija Ameti

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Sanija Ameti
Member of the Zurich Municipal Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 2022
Personal details
Born(1992-05-11)May 11, 1992
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Political partyGreen Liberal Party of Switzerland
Other political
affiliations		Operation Libero (co-president since 2021)
EducationUniversity of Zurich (Law)
OccupationPolitician, activist, cybersecurity expert

Sanija Ameti (born 11 May 1992) is a Bosnian born Swiss Green Liberal Party politician, activist and cybersecurity expert. She has been co-president of the political movement Operation Libero since 2021 and has been a member of the Zurich municipal council since 2022.

Early life and education

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Sanija Ameti was born on 11 May 1992[1] in Bosnia into a Bosniak Muslim family.[2][3][4] Her father was a professor of biology and a politician during Yugoslavia.[5] In 1995, she came to Switzerland as a refugee.[6][7] The family initially wanted to go to Germany, but the smuggler at the border demanded more money than they had, leaving the Ameti family in Kreuzlingen.[8] Ameti then went to the asylum center in Adliswil.[8] She grew up in Oerlikon,[8] where she completed high school.[6] She initially wanted to study art history, but her father preferred that she become either a lawyer or a doctor.[8] Subsequently, Ameti studied law at the University of Zurich from 2011 to 2018 and has been pursuing a doctorate at the University of Bern[6] on the topic of cybersecurity.

Career

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GLP membership and election to Operation Libero co-presidency

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Sanija Ameti became politically active after meeting the first female Federal Councillor of Switzerland, Elisabeth Kopp, who encouraged her to pursue a political career.[8]

Since 2019, she has been a member of the executive board of the Young Green Liberals of Switzerland and became a member of the party leadership of the Green Liberal Party of Switzerland in Canton Zurich in 2020.[9] In early 2020, Ameti was tasked with leading the counter-campaign against the anti-terrorism legislation.[10][11]

In early October 2021, Ameti took over the co-presidency of the political movement Operation Libero from Laura Zimmermann.[12] According to L'Illustre, the organization's leadership noticed her growing public profile and offered her the position.[13] She leads the movement together with Stefan Manser-Egli.[14] Ameti has advocated for a closer relationship between Switzerland and the European Union, and has advanced a popular initiative to restart negotiations between the two, which had been interrupted in 2021.[15]

Sanija Ameti has advocated for a legal framework for active measures in the digital space.[16] Since May 2022, Ameti has served as a member of the municipal council of Zurich, representing the districts 4 and 5.[17] In 2023, she ran unsuccessfully for the Zurich Cantonal Council.[18] She also ran for the National Council as a GLP candidate in 2023,[8][19] but was not elected.

Madonna and Child controversy

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In September 2024, Ameti posted photos on Instagram that showed her using an auction house catalog poster of a Madonna and Child painting as a shooting target.[20][21][22][23] The act caused widespread condemnation.[24] Ameti apologised[25] and announced her resignation from the leadership of the Zurich GLP on 9 September.[26] On the same day, the GLP Switzerland announced that it would initiate expulsion proceedings.[26][27] The Swiss Bishops' Conference condemned her "unacceptable behavior" and announced that Ameti had asked the "Catholic community for forgiveness."[26] Farner Group, a consulting firm where she worked, terminated her employment.[20] Ameti was placed under police protection after receiving multiple death and rape threats.[28][29] As of 10 October, multiple instances of legal action have been started against her by various parties, including a complaint that she committed the offense under Article 261 of the Swiss Criminal Code,[29][30] which punishes the malicious disturbance of religious beliefs and religious practices, and the dishonouring of locations and objects of worship.[29][31]

The leader of the Zurich municipal council GLP faction stated that there was no intention to remove Ameti from the council, acknowledging her apology.[24] Instead of her being quickly expelled from the party, the local GLP branch stated that the issue would be discussed at a meeting that includes Ameti, scheduled for the next week.[24] The Swiss Catholic Women's Association stated that Christians should forgive, and condemned sexist, Islamophobic, and xenophobic attacks on Ameti.[24]

On 2 November 2024, the board of the Eastern Switzerland chapter of Operation Libero resigned, after their ultimatum that Ameti be removed from the position of co-president failed.[32]

In an interview later in 2024, Ameti apologized again, adding that around the time of the practice shooting and her posting the photo of the perforated poster on Instagram, which was late in the evening, she was not cognizant of the religious significance of the image on the poster because she was overworked and underslept from working the previous nights; that she did not choose that particular page for a reason, and that it could have been any random page from the catalog; that she had taken the catalog from a heap of scrap paper in the basement; that she was feeling emotionally disturbed due to sudden thoughts of her brother being shot and killed (which, according to her, happened prior to her family's emigration to Switzerland); that she was feeling alone in her psychological pain and felt the urge to post something on social media, while not being able to think clearly; that she had previously lost the sense of the boundary between her private life and digital life on social media; and that, influenced by these factors, she impulsively posted something she otherwise would not have, only realizing what she did after waking up, and that she felt ashamed.[33] She also stated that the gaffe should not be understood as another of her political stunts, all of which were intended to convey some political idea, whereas the Instagram post causing the controversy was not underpinned by any political message she wanted to make.[33]

References

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  1. ^ "Sanija Ameti on the Canton of Zurich website (Archived from the original on December 8, 2022)". Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Sanija Ameti, patriote 2.0" (in Swiss French). Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Sanija Ameti erzürnt – "wie integriert sind eigentlich diese SVPler?"" [Sanija Ameti is angry – "How integrated are these SVP members?"] (in German). 30 June 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Junge SVP erstattet Anzeige gegen Politikerin Sanija Ameti". schaffhausen24.ch (in German). Retrieved 13 September 2024. Sanija Ameti wurde 1992 im heutigen Bosnien und Herzegowina in eine muslimisch-bosnische Familie geboren, ihr Vater war Professor für Biologie und Politiker im ehemaligen Jugoslawien. Sie kam 1995 mit ihren Eltern als Flüchtling in die Schweiz.(German) Sanija Ameti was born in 1992 in what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina into a Muslim-Bosnian family; her father was a professor of biology and a politician in the former Yugoslavia. She came to Switzerland with her parents as a refugee in 1995. (English)
  5. ^ Altina Marmullaku (13 August 2022). "Sanija Ameti intervistë për Albanian Post: Politikanja që po transformon metodat e angazhimit politik në Zvicër" [Sanija Ameti interview for Albanian Post: The politician who is transforming political engagement methods in Switzerland]. Albanian Post (in Albanian). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Georg Häsler (10 October 2021). ""Die FDP ist unser grösstes Sorgenkind" – so will die Operation Libero die Schweiz verändern" ["The FDP is our biggest concern" – How Operation Libero wants to change Switzerland]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  7. ^ "Inklusion und Machtteilung als "Booster" für die Demokratien" [Inclusion and power-sharing as a "booster" for democracies]. Swissinfo (in German). Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Nadine A. Brügger (13 September 2023). "Populärkultur, Balkan-Beats und Blocher: Unterwegs mit dem Phänomen Sanija Ameti" [Popular Culture, Balkan Beats, and Blocher: On the Road with the Phenomenon Sanija Ameti]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung. ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Sanija Ameti" (in German). Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  10. ^ Christoph Bernet. ""Wir machen den Terroristen ein Geschenk" – sie floh aus dem Krieg und kämpft heute gegen das Anti-Terror-Gesetz" [Sanija Ameti – "We are giving terrorists a gift" – she fled from war and now fights against the anti-terrorism law]. Luzerner Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  11. ^ Marlon Rusch (28 May 2021). "Sanija Ameti: Wie gefährlich ist diese Frau?" [Sanija Ameti: How dangerous is this woman?]. Die Zeit. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Handing over the baton: Sanija Ameti is the new co-president of Operation Libero". Operation Libero (in German). 9 October 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  13. ^ Guignard, Noémie (24 November 2022). "Sanija Ameti, l'esprit rebelle qui agite la politique alémanique" [Sanija Ameti, the rebellious spirit that shakes up German-speaking politics]. Illustre (in Swiss French). Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  14. ^ Christoph Bernet. "Operation Libero: New co-leader Sanija Ameti attacks the FDP head-on" (in German). Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  15. ^ "In Switzerland, Sanija Ameti is fighting to revive a rapprochement with the EU". 7 November 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  16. ^ Sanija Ameti. "Ist Cyberangriff die bessere Verteidigung?". Neue Zürcher Zeitung. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  17. ^ "Sanija Ameti". Gemeinderat Zürich. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  18. ^ "Galladé rein, Landmann raus: Das sind die grossen Gewinner und Verlierer". ZüriToday (in Swiss High German). 12 February 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  19. ^ Gashi, Adelina (27 September 2023). "How Swiss parties court the Kosovar diaspora". swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  20. ^ a b Keaten, Jamey (10 September 2024). "Swiss politician apologizes for firing gun at a Mary and Jesus poster". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  21. ^ Ledebur, Michael von (10 September 2024). "Sanija Ameti gilt als Polit-Start – bis sie auf ein Marienbild schiesst". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  22. ^ Rowena Goebel. "GLP-Ameti ballert auf Maria und Jesus" [GLP Ameti shoots at Mary and Jesus]. Nau.ch (in German). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  23. ^ Mario Stäuble (8 September 2024). "Sanija Ameti schiesst auf Jesus-Bild – "eine Riesendummheit", findet GLP-Präsident Grossen" [Sanija Ameti shoots at Jesus image – "a huge stupidity," says GLP president Grossen]. Tages-Anzeiger (in German). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  24. ^ a b c d Busslinger, Boris (10 September 2024). "Sanija Ameti, anatomie d'un crash politique – Le Temps". Le Temps (in French). ProQuest 3102561643. Retrieved 11 September 2024 – via The Wikipedia Library.
  25. ^ "Swiss councillor apologises for firing gun at Mary and Jesus poster". euronews. AP. 10 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  26. ^ a b c "Kritik an Ameti bricht nicht ab" [Criticism of Ameti continues]. SRF. 9 September 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  27. ^ "Die GLP Schweiz startet ein Ausschlussverfahren gegen Sanija Ameti" [GLP Switzerland initiates expulsion proceedings against Sanija Ameti]. Grünliberale Partei Schweiz (in German). 9 September 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  28. ^ "Liberal Green party members criticise handling of Ameti affair". swissinfo.ch. 14 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  29. ^ a b c Hoti, Sven (10 October 2024). "Sanija Ameti: Dutzend Anzeigen nach Schüssen auf Maria und Jesus" [Sanija Ameti: Dozen Complaints After Shooting at Mary and Jesus]. Limmattaler Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  30. ^ "Zürich: Anzeigenflut gegen GLP-Politikerin Ameti". ZüriToday (in Swiss High German). 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  31. ^ Pahud de Mortanges, René (2015). "Religion and the Secular State in Switzerland" (PDF). In Martínez-Torrón, Javier; Durham, W. Cole (eds.). Religion and the Secular State. Complutense University of Madrid. pp. 687–699. ISBN 9788484811626. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 January 2022.
  32. ^ Schatz, Renato (4 November 2024). "Fall Ameti: Der Ostschweizer Vorstand der Operation Libero tritt zurück" [Ameti Case: The Eastern Switzerland Board of Operation Libero Resigns]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  33. ^ a b Müller, Patrik; Ardizzone, Sandra (14 December 2024). "«Ich schäme mich»: Sanija Ameti über ihre Schüsse auf das Marienbild und ihre Zukunft" [“I’m ashamed”: Sanija Ameti on her shots at the image of the Virgin Mary and her future]. Aargauer Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 16 December 2024.
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