THE FEDERAL COUNCIL
Seven equal members
The Federal Council is Switzerland’s government. Its members are elected by Parliament for a four-year term of office. The most recent election of all its members was held on 11 December 2019, following the parliamentary elections on 20 October.
The position of president is held by a different member each year. The President of the Swiss Confederation in 2020 is Simonetta Sommaruga. She is equal to the other members, but chairs cabinet meetings and represents the government. The Federal Chancellor is the Federal Council’s chief of staff. He too is elected by Parliament.
Simonetta Sommaruga
President of the Swiss Confederation
Head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications
Federal Councillor since 2010
Party affiliation: SP
Guy Parmelin
Vice President of the Federal Council
Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
Member of the Federal Council since 2016
Party affiliation: SVP
Ueli Maurer
Head of the Federal Department of Finance
Member of the Federal Council since 2009
Party affiliation: SVP
Alain Berset
Head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs
Member of the Federal Council since 2012
Party affiliation: SP
Ignazio Cassis
Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
Member of the Federal Council since 1 November 2017
Party affiliation: FDP
Viola Amherd
Head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport
Member of the Federal Council since 1 January 2019
Party affiliation: CVP
Karin Keller-Sutter
Head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police
Member of the Federal Council since 1 January 2019
Party affiliation: FDP
Walter Thurnherr
Federal Chancellor since 2016
Party affiliation: CVP
Government and head of the administration
The Federal Council has the task of governing the country. Each member of the Federal Council heads a government department.
The Federal Council holds a meeting every week. Particularly complex matters are addressed at special meetings. It takes decisions on more than 2000 items of business every year. The seven departments and the Federal Chancellery help to prepare the meetings.
The Federal Council sets strategies and goals and then draws up the relevant draft legislation. The views of broad sections of the population and industry are gathered in a consultation process. The Federal Council then submits the proposal to Parliament, which debates and reaches a decision on it.
The Federal Council manages the Confederation’s finances through the budget and the state accounts. The final decisions on these matters also rest with Parliament.
Consensus and collegiality
As in Parliament, a concentration of power is avoided in the government; the members of the Federal Council are currently drawn from four political parties. Four members come from the German-speaking part of the country, two from the French-speaking part and one from the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland.
The Federal Council takes decisions as a collegial body: the members seek consensus to win majority support for their policies. They are also expected to defend the position of the Federal Council, even if it is contrary to their personal view or that of their party (principle of collegiality).
In contrast to systems in other countries, there is no clear distinction between government and opposition.
Duty to inform the public
The Federal Council is required to inform the Federal Assembly, cantons and the public not only about its decisions, but also about its situation analyses, planning and measures it takes. It is supported in this by the Federal Chancellery and the Federal Council spokesperson, Vice Chancellor André Simonazzi.
President Simonetta Sommaruga and André Simonazzi at a media conference
Film “The Federal Council – A Brief Guide”
From a one-party to a four-party government
1848 The Federal Council was composed of seven members of the Free Democratic Party (today FDP.The Liberals). The party governed alone for 43 years.
1891 The first member of the Catholic Conservatives (today CVP) joined the government; the second joined in 1919.
1929 The United Federal Assembly elected a member of the Farmers’, Trades’ and Citizens’ Party (today SVP) to the Federal Council.
1943 The first Social Democrat (SP) entered the government; the second followed in 1951.
1959 The four strongest parties agreed to form a government by applying the ‘magic formula’: 2 FDP, 2 CVP, 2 SP, 1 SVP. The formula remained unchanged for 44 years.
2003 During the Federal Council elections, the SVP won a seat at the expense of the CVP.
2008 The two representatives of the SVP joined the newly founded Conservative Democratic Party (BDP).
2009 A member of the SVP was elected in place of a retiring BDP representative. The constellation was now 2 FDP, 2 SP, 1 SVP, 1 BDP, 1 CVP.
2015 The BDP representative stepped down. The United Federal Assembly elected an SVP representative in her place. The Federal Council members now represent four different parties: 2 FDP, 2 SP, 2 SVP, 1 CVP.
