This is a list of members of the Swiss Federal Council (German: Schweizerischer Bundesrat; French: Conseil fédéral suisse; Italian: Consiglio federale svizzero; Romansh: Cussegl federal svizzer). The Council's seven members constitute the federal government of Switzerland and serve as the country's head of state. Each of the seven Councillors heads a department of the Swiss federal administration.[1]
The members of the Federal Council are elected for a term of four years by both chambers of the federal parliament sitting together as the Federal Assembly. Each Councillor is elected individually by secret ballot by an absolute majority of votes. A person elected to the Council by the Federal Assembly is considered a Federal Councillor even if he or she declines the election.[2] Accordingly, the five persons who did so and never assumed office are listed in a separate table below. For the same reason, the principal table only records the date of election, and not the date on which the Councillors assumed their office.
Once elected for a four-year-term, Federal Councillors can neither be voted out of office by a motion of no confidence nor can they be impeached. Re-election is possible for an indefinite number of terms. Parliament has decided not to re-elect a sitting Councillor only four times, and only twice (in 2003 and 2007) since the beginning of the 20th century. In practice, therefore, Councillors serve until they decide to resign and retire to private life, usually after three to five terms of office.[3]
Contents |
# | Name | Picture | Canton[4] | Election | Left office | Department headed[5] | Party | Notes | Seq[6] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jonas Furrer | ZH | November 16, 1848 | July 25, 1861 | Foreign affairs,[7] Justice | FDP/PRD | Died in office | A01 | |
2 | Ulrich Ochsenbein | BE | November 16, 1848 | December 6, 1854 | Defence | FDP/PRD | Not re-elected[8] | B01 | |
3 | Henri Druey | VD | November 16, 1848 | March 29, 1855 | Justice, Foreign affairs,[7] Finance | FDP/PRD | Died in office | C01 | |
4 | Josef Munzinger | SO | November 16, 1848 | February 6, 1855 | Finance, Foreign affairs,[7] Posts and Construction, Trade and Customs |
FDP/PRD | Died in office | D01 | |
5 | Stefano Franscini | TI | November 16, 1848 | July 19, 1857 | Home affairs | FDP/PRD | Died in office | E01 | |
6 | Friedrich Frey-Herosé | AG | November 16, 1848 | December 31, 1866 | Trade and Customs, Foreign affairs,[7] Defence |
FDP/PRD | F01 | ||
7 | Wilhelm Matthias Naeff | SG | November 16, 1848 | December 31, 1875 | Posts and Construction, Foreign affairs,[7] Trade and Customs, Posts, Finance, Railway and Trade |
FDP/PRD | G01 | ||
8 | Jakob Stämpfli | BE | December 6, 1854 | December 31, 1863 | Justice, Foreign affairs,[7] Finance, Defence |
FDP/PRD | B02 | ||
9 | Constant Fornerod | VD | July 11, 1855 | October 31, 1867 | Trade and Customs, Foreign affairs,[7] Finance, Defence |
FDP/PRD | C02 | ||
10 | Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel | LU | July 14, 1855 | December 31, 1875 | Finance, Trade and Customs, Justice, Foreign affairs,[7] Home affairs |
FDP/PRD | Elected after Johann Jakob Stehlin declined the election | D02 | |
11 | Giovanni Battista Pioda | TI | July 30, 1857 | January 26, 1864 | Home affairs | FDP/PRD | E02 | ||
12 | Jakob Dubs | ZH | July 30, 1861 | May 28, 1872 | Justice, Foreign affairs,[7] Home affairs, Posts |
FDP/PRD | A02 | ||
13 | Karl Schenk | BE | December 12, 1863 | July 18, 1895 | Home affairs, Finance, Railway and Trade |
FDP/PRD | Died in office | B03 | |
14 | Jean-Jacques Challet-Venel | GE | July 12, 1864 | December 7, 1872 | Finance, Posts | FDP/PRD | Not re-elected[9] | E03 | |
15 | Emil Welti | AG | December 8, 1866 | December 31, 1891 | Defence, Trade and Customs, Posts and Telegraph, Posts and Railways, Justice |
FDP/PRD | F02 | ||
16 | Victor Ruffy | VD | December 6, 1867 | December 29, 1869 | Finance, Defence | FDP/PRD | Died in office | C03 | |
17 | Paul Cérésole | VD | February 1, 1870 | December 31, 1875 | Finance, Defence, Foreign affairs,[7] Justice |
FDP/PRD | C04 | ||
18 | Johann Jakob Scherer | ZH | July 12, 1872 | December 23, 1878 | Finance, Railway and Trade, Foreign affairs,[7] Defence |
FDP/PRD | Died in office | A03 | |
19 | Eugène Borel | NE | December 7, 1872 | December 31, 1875 | Posts and Telegraph | FDP/PRD | E04 | ||
20 | Joachim Heer | GL | December 10, 1875 | December 31, 1878 | Posts and Telegraph, Foreign affairs,[7] Railway and Trade |
FDP/PRD | D03 | ||
21 | Fridolin Anderwert | TG | December 10, 1875 | December 25, 1880 | Justice | FDP/PRD | Died in office (committed suicide)[10] |
G02 | |
22 | Bernhard Hammer | SO | December 10, 1875 | December 31, 1890 | Finance, Defence | FDP/PRD | E05 | ||
23 | Numa Droz | NE | December 18, 1875 | December 18, 1892 | Home affairs, Trade and Agriculture, Foreign affairs |
FDP/PRD | Elected after Antoine Louis John Ruchonnet and Charles Estoppey declined the election. | C05 | |
24 | Simeon Bavier | GR | December 10, 1878 | January 5, 1883 | Finance, Posts and Railways, Foreign affairs[7] | FDP/PRD | D04 | ||
25 | Wilhelm Hertenstein | ZH | March 21, 1879 | November 27, 1888 | Defence | FDP/PRD | Died in office | A04 | |
26 | Louis Ruchonnet | VD | March 3, 1881 | September 14, 1893 | Economic affairs, Justice, Foreign affairs[7] | FDP/PRD | Elected after Karl Hoffmann declined his election. Died in office | G03 | |
27 | Adolf Deucher | TG | April 10, 1883 | July 10, 1912 | Justice, Posts and Railways, Economic affairs, Foreign affairs[7] | FDP/PRD | Died in office | D05 | |
28 | Walter Hauser | ZH | December 13, 1888 | October 22, 1902 | Defence, Finance, Foreign affairs[7] | FDP/PRD | Died in office | A05 | |
29 | Emil Frey | BL | December 11, 1890 | March 11, 1897 | Defence | FDP/PRD | E06 | ||
30 | Joseph Zemp | LU | December 17, 1891 | June 17, 1908 | Posts and Railways, Foreign affairs[7] | CVP/PDC | F03 | ||
31 | Adrien Lachenal | GE | December 15, 1892 | December 31, 1899 | Foreign affairs, Economic affairs, Home affairs | FDP/PRD | C06 | ||
32 | Eugène Ruffy | VD | December 14, 1893 | October 31, 1899 | Justice, Home affairs, Foreign affairs,[7] Defence |
FDP/PRD | G04 | ||
33 | Eduard Müller | BE | August 16, 1895 | November 9, 1919 | Justice, Defence, Foreign affairs[7] |
FDP/PRD | Died in office | B04 | |
34 | Ernst Brenner | BS | March 25, 1897 | March 11, 1911 | Justice, Foreign affairs[7] | FDP/PRD | Died in office | E07 | |
35 | Robert Comtesse | NE | December 14, 1899 | March 4, 1912 | Finance, Justice, Posts and Railways, Foreign affairs[7] |
FDP/PRD | C07 | ||
36 | Marc-Emile Ruchet | VD | December 14, 1899 | July 9, 1912 | Home affairs, Finance, Foreign affairs[7] |
FDP/PRD | G05 | ||
37 | Ludwig Forrer | ZH | December 11, 1902 | December 7, 1917 | Economic affairs, Home affairs, Foreign affairs,[7] Defence, Justice, Posts and Railways | FDP/PRD | A06 | ||
38 | Josef Anton Schobinger | LU | June 17, 1908 | November 27, 1911 | Justice, Economic affairs, Finance, Home affairs | CVP/PDC | F04 | ||
39 | Arthur Hoffmann | SG | April 4, 1911 | June 19, 1917 | Justice, Defence, Foreign affairs |
FDP/PRD | E08 | ||
40 | Giuseppe Motta | TI | December 14, 1911 | January 23, 1940 | Finance, Foreign affairs | CVP/PDC | F05 | ||
41 | Louis Perrier | NE | March 12, 1912 | May 16, 1913 | Posts and Railways, Home affairs | FDP/PRD | C08 | ||
42 | Camille Decoppet | VD | July 17, 1912 | November 7, 1919 | Home affairs, Justice, Defence | FDP/PRD | G06 | ||
43 | Edmund Schulthess | AG | July 17, 1912 | April 15, 1935 | Economic affairs, Economic affairs | FDP/PRD | D06 | ||
44 | Felix Calonder | GR | June 12, 1913 | February 12, 1920 | Home affairs, Foreign affairs[7] | FDP/PRD | C09 | ||
45 | Gustave Ador | GE | June 26, 1917 | December 31, 1919 | Foreign affairs, Home affairs | LPS/PLS | E09 | ||
46 | Robert Haab | ZH | December 13, 1917 | December 31, 1929 | Posts and Railways | FDP/PRD | A07 | ||
47 | Karl Scheurer | BE | December 11, 1919 | November 14, 1929 | Defence | FDP/PRD | Died in office | B05 | |
48 | Ernest Chuard | VD | December 11, 1919 | December 31, 1928 | Home affairs | FDP/PRD | G07 | ||
49 | Jean-Marie Musy | FR | December 11, 1919 | April 30, 1934 | Finance | CVP/PDC | E10 | ||
50 | Heinrich Häberlin | TG | February 12, 1920 | March 12, 1934 | Justice | FDP/PRD | C10 | ||
51 | Marcel Pilet-Golaz | VD | December 13, 1928 | November 7, 1944 | Home affairs, Posts and Railways, Foreign affairs |
FDP/PRD | G08 | ||
52 | Rudolf Minger | BE | December 12, 1929 | December 31, 1940 | Defence | SVP/UDC | B06 | ||
53 | Albert Meyer | ZH | December 12, 1929 | December 31, 1938 | Home affairs, Finance | FDP/PRD | A08 | ||
54 | Johannes Baumann | AR | March 22, 1934 | December 31, 1940 | Justice | FDP/PRD | C11 | ||
55 | Philipp Etter | ZG | March 28, 1934 | November 19, 1959 | Home affairs | CVP/PDC | E11 | ||
56 | Hermann Obrecht | SO | April 4, 1935 | June 20, 1940 | Economic affairs | FDP/PRD | D07 | ||
57 | Ernst Wetter | ZH | December 15, 1938 | December 31, 1943 | Finance | FDP/PRD | A09 | ||
58 | Enrico Celio | TI | February 22, 1940 | June 23, 1950 | Posts and Railways | CVP/PDC | F06 | ||
59 | Walther Stampfli | SO | July 18, 1940 | November 18, 1947 | Economic affairs | FDP/PRD | D08 | ||
60 | Eduard von Steiger | BE | December 10, 1940 | November 9, 1951 | Justice | SVP/UDC | B07 | ||
61 | Karl Kobelt | SG | December 10, 1940 | November 5, 1954 | Defence | FDP/PRD | C12 | ||
62 | Ernst Nobs | ZH | December 15, 1943 | November 13, 1951 | Finance | SPS/PSS | A10 | ||
63 | Max Petitpierre | NE | December 14, 1944 | June 30, 1961 | Foreign affairs | FDP/PRD | G09 | ||
64 | Rodolphe Rubattel | VD | December 11, 1947 | November 1, 1954 | Economic affairs | FDP/PRD | D09 | ||
65 | Josef Escher | VS | September 14, 1950 | November 26, 1954 | Posts and Railways | CVP/PDC | F07 | ||
66 | Markus Feldmann | BE | December 13, 1951 | November 3, 1958 | Justice | SVP/UDC | B08 | ||
67 | Max Weber | ZH | December 13, 1951 | December 8, 1953 | Finance | SPS/PSS | A11 | ||
68 | Hans Streuli | ZH | December 22, 1953 | November 19, 1959 | Finance | FDP/PRD | A12 | ||
69 | Thomas Holenstein | SG | December 16, 1954 | November 20, 1959 | Economic affairs | CVP/PDC | F08 | ||
70 | Paul Chaudet | VD | December 16, 1954 | November 28, 1966 | Defence | FDP/PRD | D10 | ||
71 | Giuseppe Lepori | TI | December 16, 1954 | November 24, 1959 | Posts and Railways | CVP/PDC | C13 | ||
72 | Friedrich Traugott Wahlen | BE | December 11, 1958 | December 31, 1965 | Justice, Economic affairs, Foreign affairs |
SVP/UDC | B09 | ||
73 | Jean Bourgknecht | FR | December 17, 1959 | September 3, 1962 | Finance | CVP/PDC | E12 | ||
74 | Willy Spühler | ZH | December 17, 1959 | January 31, 1970 | Posts and Railways, Transport, Energy, Communications, Foreign affairs |
SPS/PSS | A13 | ||
75 | Ludwig von Moos | OW | December 17, 1959 | December 31, 1971 | Justice | CVP/PDC | F09 | ||
76 | Hans-Peter Tschudi | BS | December 17, 1959 | December 31, 1973 | Home affairs | SPS/PSS | C14 | ||
77 | Hans Schaffner | AG | June 15, 1961 | December 31, 1969 | Economic affairs | FDP/PRD | G10 | ||
78 | Roger Bonvin | VS | September 27, 1962 | December 31, 1973 | Finance, Transport, Energy, Communications |
CVP/PDC | E13 | ||
79 | Rudolf Gnägi | BE | December 8, 1965 | December 31, 1979 | Transport, Energy, Communications, Defence |
SVP/UDC | B10 | ||
80 | Nello Celio | TI | December 15, 1966 | December 31, 1973 | Defence, Finance | FDP/PRD | D11 | ||
81 | Pierre Graber | NE | December 10, 1969 | January 31, 1978 | Foreign affairs | SPS/PSS | A14 | ||
82 | Ernst Brugger | ZH | December 10, 1969 | January 31, 1978 | Economic affairs | FDP/PRD | G11 | ||
83 | Kurt Furgler | SG | December 8, 1971 | December 31, 1986 | Justice, Economic affairs | CVP/PDC | F10 | ||
84 | Willi Ritschard | SO | December 5, 1973 | October 3, 1983 | Transport, Energy, Communications, Finance |
SPS/PSS | Died in office | C15 | |
85 | Hans Hürlimann | ZG | December 5, 1973 | December 31, 1982 | Home affairs | CVP/PDC | E14 | ||
86 | Georges-André Chevallaz | VD | December 5, 1973 | December 31, 1983 | Finance, Defence | FDP/PRD | D12 | ||
87 | Fritz Honegger | ZH | December 7, 1977 | December 31, 1982 | Economic affairs | FDP/PRD | G12 | ||
88 | Pierre Aubert | NE | December 7, 1977 | December 31, 1987 | Foreign affairs | SPS/PSS | A15 | ||
89 | Leon Schlumpf | GR | December 5, 1979 | December 31, 1987 | Transport, Energy, Communications | SVP/UDC | B11 | ||
90 | Alphons Egli | LU | December 8, 1982 | December 31, 1986 | Home affairs | CVP/PDC | E15 | ||
91 | Rudolf Friedrich | ZH | December 8, 1982 | October 20, 1984 | Justice | FDP/PRD | G13 | ||
92 | Otto Stich | SO | December 7, 1983 | October 31, 1995 | Finance | SPS/PSS | C16 | ||
93 | Jean-Pascal Delamuraz | VD | December 7, 1983 | March 30, 1998 | Defence, Economic affairs | FDP/PRD | D13 | ||
94 | Elisabeth Kopp | ZH | October 2, 1984 | January 12, 1989 | Justice | FDP/PRD | G14 | ||
95 | Arnold Koller | AI | December 10, 1986 | January 13, 1999 | Justice, Defence | CVP/PDC | F11 | ||
96 | Flavio Cotti | TI | December 10, 1986 | January 13, 1999 | Home affairs, Foreign affairs | CVP/PDC | E16 | ||
97 | René Felber | NE | December 9, 1987 | March 31, 1993 | Foreign affairs | SPS/PSS | A16 | ||
98 | Adolf Ogi | BE | December 9, 1987 | December 31, 2000 | Transport, Energy, Communications, Defence |
SVP/UDC | B12 | ||
99 | Kaspar Villiger | LU | February 1, 1989 | December 31, 2003 | Defence, Finance | FDP/PRD | G15 | ||
100 | Ruth Dreifuss | GE | March 10, 1993 | December 31, 2002 | Home affairs | SPS/PSS | Elected after Francis Matthey declined the election. | A17 | |
101 | Moritz Leuenberger | ZH | September 27, 1995 | — | Transport, Energy, Communications | SPS/PSS | C17 | ||
102 | Pascal Couchepin | VS | March 11, 1998 | October 31, 2009 | Economic affairs, Home affairs | FDP/PRD | D14 | ||
103 | Ruth Metzler-Arnold | AI | March 11, 1999 | December 31, 2003 | Justice | CVP/PDC | Not re-elected[11] | F12 | |
104 | Joseph Deiss | FR | March 11, 1999 | July 31, 2006 | Foreign affairs, Economic affairs | CVP/PDC | E17 | ||
105 | Samuel Schmid | BE | December 6, 2000 | December 31, 2008[12] | Defence | BDP | Elected as SVP/UDC member. | B13 | |
106 | Micheline Calmy-Rey | GE | December 4, 2002 | — | Foreign affairs | SPS/PSS | A18 | ||
107 | Christoph Blocher | ZH | December 10, 2003 | December 31, 2007 | Justice | SVP/UDC | Not re-elected.[13] | F13 | |
108 | Hans-Rudolf Merz | AR | December 10, 2003 | — | Finance | FDP/PRD | G16 | ||
109 | Doris Leuthard | AG | June 14, 2006 | — | Economic affairs | CVP/PDC | E18 | ||
110 | Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf | GR | December 12, 2007 | — | Justice | BDP | Elected as SVP/UDC member. | F14 | |
111 | Ueli Maurer | ZH | December 10, 2008 | — | Defence | SVP/UDC | B14 | ||
112 | Didier Burkhalter | NE | September 16, 2009 | — | Home affairs | FDP/PRD | D15 |
Legend: Free Democratic Party (FDP/PRD) after 1894; previously a more or less coherent group of Liberals, Radicals and Democrats[14] Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP/PDC) Liberal Party (LPS/PLS) Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) after 1971; previously Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents (BGB/PAI) and associated minor parties Social Democratic Party (SPS/PSS) The Councillors currently serving are indicated with bold type.
Five people have declined their election to the Federal Council by the Federal Assembly. Their number here is that of the Federal Councillor in the list above who was later elected in their place.
# | Name | Canton | Election | Party | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 | Johann Jakob Stehlin | BS | July 11, 1855 | FDP/PRD | |
23 | Antoine Louis John Ruchonnet | VD | December 10, 1875 | FDP/PRD | Later elected as 26th member. |
23 | Charles Estoppey | VD | December 18, 1875 | FDP/PRD | |
26 | Karl Hoffmann | SG | February 22, 1881 | FDP/PRD | |
100 | Francis Matthey | NE | March 3, 1993 | SPS/PSS |
|