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]

The official photograph of the Swiss Federal Council for 2016. From left to right: Alain Berset, Didier Burkhalter, Doris Leuthard (Vice President for 2016), Johann Schneider-Ammann (President for 2016), Ueli Maurer, Simonetta Sommaruga, Guy Parmelin and Federal Chancellor Walter Thurnherr.

Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, a member of the Conservative Democratic Party (BDP), announced she would not run for reelection 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; it chose Thomas Aeschi (Zug), Guy Parmelin (Vaud) and Norman Gobbi (Ticino) as candidates for the seat, with Aeschi being the favourite 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 the canton of 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

Results

Source showing only the final tallies in favor of the winner of each seat:[1]

Seat held by Doris Leuthard

Federal Councilor 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

Federal Councilor 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

Federal Councilor 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

Federal Councilor 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

Federal Councilor 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

Federal Councilor 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

Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin.

Guy Parmelin (SVP) was elected to the Federal Council after three rounds of voting.

Round 1Round 2Round 3
Guy Parmelin 90117138
Thomas Aeschi 617888
Norman Gobbi 503011
Thomas Hurter 22--
Viola Amherd 16--
Votes received to other persons 414-
Votes cast 245244243
Invalid votes 000
Blank votes 256
Valid votes 243239237
Absolute majority 122120119

References

  1. Mombelli, Armando (December 10, 2015). "People's Party Gains Second Seat in Cabinet". Swissinfo. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  2. Jaberg, Samuel; Stephens, Thomas (October 28, 2015). "Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf to Stand Down". Swissinfo. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  3. Geiser, Urs (October 19, 2015). "Parliament Shifts to the Right". Swissinfo. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  4. "People's Party Posts Candidates for Cabinet Seat". Swissinfo. November 20, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  5. "People's Party Tightens Grip on Second Cabinet Seat". Swissinfo. October 28, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  6. Bradley, Simon (December 10, 2015). "Wary Press Split Over Farmer Parmelin". Swissinfo. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  7. "People's Party finally nails finance minister job". Swissinfo. December 11, 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.