"The large majority are over eighty years old": Ueli Maurer and the lives he sees as expendable

In a radio interview today, Swiss Finance Minister and Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer of the Swiss People's Party (SVP) defended the Federal Council's handling of the coronavirus pandemic even in the face of around 1000 deaths in the last two weeks. Regarding the death rate, he said, "the large majority are over eighty years old" ("Der ganz grosse Teil sind über 80-Jährige"). Apparently, Maurer thinks the lives of the elderly are worth less than those of younger people. Given the SVP's positions on foreigner residents of Switzerland, it's unsurprising that he sees some people as effectively expendable, but that doesn't make his positions on the elderly and foreigners any less appalling. (Andrew Shields, #111words, 21 November)