2015 Swiss Federal Council election
An election for all seven members of the Federal Council, the government of Switzerland, was held on 9 December 2015, following the federal election on 19 October 2015.[1]
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Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, a member of the Conservative Democratic Party (BDP), announced she would not run for re-election after the Swiss People's Party (SVP) won a record 29.4% of the vote, while her own party received 4.1% of the vote.[2][3] The SVP was widely expected to fill her seat in the election, and it chose Thomas Aeschi (Zug), Guy Parmelin (Vaud) and Norman Gobbi (Ticino) as candidates for the seat, with Aeschi being the favorite at the time.[4][5]
Guy Parmelin, of the SVP, was ultimately elected on December 9.[1] Parmelin, a farmer and winegrower from Bursins in canton Vaud, was the first member of the Federal Council who is also a member of the Swiss People's Party from the French-speaking part of Switzerland.[1][6]
There was a minor cabinet reshuffle after the election, as newly elected Parmelin was selected to become head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports, replacing fellow SVP-member Ueli Maurer, who became head of the Federal Department of Finance.[7] The SVP gained its second seat in the Federal Council, which it had lost in 2008, when the newly created BDP split from the SVP.
Incumbents
- Incumbents, in descending order of seniority, including political party affiliation and Department at the time of the election:
- Doris Leuthard (CVP), from Aargau, head of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications,
- Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf (BDP), from Grisons, head of the Federal Department of Finance (Did not run for re-election),
- Ueli Maurer (SVP), from Zurich, head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports,
- Didier Burkhalter (FDP), from Neuchâtel, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs,
- Simonetta Sommaruga (SPS), from Bern, head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police,
- Johann Schneider-Ammann (FDP), from Bern, head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs,
- Alain Berset (SPS), from Fribourg, head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs
Results
Source showing only the final tallies in favor of the winner of each seat:[1]
Seat held by Doris Leuthard
Doris Leuthard (CVP) was re-elected in the first round of voting.
| Round 1 | |
|---|---|
| Doris Leuthard | 215 |
| Votes received to other persons | 19 |
| Votes cast | 245 |
| Invalid votes | 3 |
| Blank votes | 8 |
| Valid votes | 234 |
| Absolute majority | 118 |
Seat held by Ueli Maurer
Ueli Maurer (SVP) was re-elected in the first round of voting.
| Round 1 | |
|---|---|
| Ueli Maurer | 173 |
| Thomas Hurter | 10 |
| Votes received to other persons | 27 |
| Votes cast | 245 |
| Invalid votes | 3 |
| Blank votes | 32 |
| Valid votes | 210 |
| Absolute majority | 106 |
Seat held by Didier Burkhalter
Didier Burkhalter (FDP) was re-elected in the first round of voting.
| Round 1 | |
|---|---|
| Didier Burkhalter | 217 |
| Votes received to other persons | 14 |
| Votes cast | 244 |
| Invalid votes | 0 |
| Blank votes | 13 |
| Valid votes | 231 |
| Absolute majority | 116 |
Seat held by Simonetta Sommaruga
Simonetta Sommaruga (SP) was re-elected in the first round of voting.
| Round 1 | |
|---|---|
| Simonetta Sommaruga | 182 |
| Daniel Jositsch | 11 |
| Votes received to other persons | 28 |
| Votes cast | 245 |
| Invalid votes | 5 |
| Blank votes | 19 |
| Valid votes | 221 |
| Absolute majority | 111 |
Seat held by Johann Schneider-Ammann
Johann Schneider-Ammann (FDP) was re-elected in the first round of voting.
| Round 1 | |
|---|---|
| Johann Schneider-Ammann | 191 |
| Votes received to other persons | 28 |
| Votes cast | 244 |
| Invalid votes | 2 |
| Blank votes | 23 |
| Valid votes | 219 |
| Absolute majority | 110 |
Seat held by Alain Berset
Alain Berset (SP) was re-elected in the first round of voting.
| Round 1 | |
|---|---|
| Alain Berset | 210 |
| Votes received to other persons | 23 |
| Votes cast | 243 |
| Invalid votes | 2 |
| Blank votes | 8 |
| Valid votes | 233 |
| Absolute majority | 117 |
Vacant Seat
Guy Parmelin (SVP) was elected to the Federal Council after three rounds of voting.
| Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guy Parmelin | 90 | 117 | 138 |
| Thomas Aeschi | 61 | 78 | 88 |
| Norman Gobbi | 50 | 30 | 11 |
| Thomas Hurter | 22 | - | - |
| Viola Amherd | 16 | - | - |
| Votes received to other persons | 4 | 14 | - |
| Votes cast | 245 | 244 | 243 |
| Invalid votes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blank votes | 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Valid votes | 243 | 239 | 237 |
| Absolute majority | 122 | 120 | 119 |
References
- Mombelli, Armando (December 10, 2015). "People's Party Gains Second Seat in Cabinet". Swissinfo. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
- Jaberg, Samuel; Stephens, Thomas (October 28, 2015). "Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf to Stand Down". Swissinfo. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
- Geiser, Urs (October 19, 2015). "Parliament Shifts to the Right". Swissinfo. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
- "People's Party Posts Candidates for Cabinet Seat". Swissinfo. November 20, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
- "People's Party Tightens Grip on Second Cabinet Seat". Swissinfo. October 28, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
- Bradley, Simon (December 10, 2015). "Wary Press Split Over Farmer Parmelin". Swissinfo. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
- "People's Party finally nails finance minister job". Swissinfo. December 11, 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2015.