Swiss Federal Council election, 2011

Switzerland

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An election for all seven members of the Federal Council, the government of Switzerland, was held on 14 December 2011, following the federal election on 23 October 2011.[1] Micheline Calmy-Rey announced she will not run for re-election to the council. According to a traditional informal convention, the successor has to come from the French-speaking or Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. The candidates for her post announced by their respective cantonal sections are Alain Berset (Fribourg), Pierre-Yves Maillard (Vaud), Stéphane Rossini (Valais), and Marina Carobbio (Ticino).[2]

Berset and Maillard were favourites. Jean Studer, Liliane Maury Pasquier and Elisabeth Baume-Schneider declined to stand in the election.[3][4] In the end, the SP decided to nominate Berset and Maillard.[5]

Apart from Calmy-Rey's successor, the controversial aspects of the election included, whether the SVP would hold their seat or gain another, which they had lost after one of their incumbents defected to the BDP; and whether the CVP or the FDP would gain the second seat held by the FDP, which both lay claim to.

The SVP's possible candidates are Heinz Tännler (Zug), Bruno Zuppiger (Zürich), Jakob Stark (Thurgau), Guy Parmelin (Vaud) and Hannes Germann (Schaffhausen). Jean-François Rime (Fribourg) was inofficially nominated, as well.[6][7][8][9][10][11] Rime and Zuppiger were nominated as the SVP's candidates; after a scandal involving Zuppiger's professional activities emerged very shortly after the nomination meeting, Hansjörg Walter (Thurgau) was nominated in his stead.[12][13]

Contents

Candidates

The following candidates participated in the election:

(Micheline Calmy-Rey (SPS), from Geneva,head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs decided not to seek re-election)

Results

[14]

Seat held by Doris Leuthard

Doris Leuthard was re-elected during the first ballot. Her re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups.

Round 1
Doris Leuthard 216
Votes received by other persons 11
Votes cast 245
Invalid votes 1
Blank votes 17
Valid votes 227
Absolute majority 114

Seat held by Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf

Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf was re-elected during the first ballot. Her re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups except that of the SVP and part of the FDP.

Round 1
Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf 131
Hansjörg Walter 63
Jean-François Rime 41
Votes received by other persons 4
Votes cast 245
Invalid votes 1
Blank votes 5
Valid votes 239
Absolute majority 120

Seat held by Ueli Maurer

Ueli Maurer was re-elected during the first ballot. His re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups except the GPS

Round 1
Ueli Maurer 159
Hansjörg Walter 41
Luc Recordon 13
Votes received by other persons 13
Votes cast 245
Invalid votes 3
Blank votes 16
Valid votes 226
Absolute majority 114

Seat held by Didier Burkhalter

Didier Burkhalter was re-elected during the first ballot. His re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups.

Round 1
Didier Burkhalter 194
Jean-François Rime 24
Votes received by other persons 14
Votes cast 245
Invalid votes 1
Blank votes 12
Valid votes 232
Absolute majority 117

Seat held by Simonetta Sommaruga

Simonetta Sommaruga was re-elected during the first ballot. Her re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups except that of SVP

Round 1
Simonetta Sommaruga 179
Jean-François Rime 61
Votes received by other persons 2
Votes cast 245
Invalid votes 0
Blank votes 3
Valid votes 242
Absolute majority 122

Seat held by Johann Schneider-Ammann

Johann Schneider-Ammann was re-elected during the first ballot. His re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups except that of SVP

Round 1
Johann Schneider-Ammann 159
Jean-François Rime 64
Votes received by other persons 11
Votes cast 245
Invalid votes 2
Blank votes 9
Valid votes 234
Absolute majority 118

Vacant Seat

A vacant seat was to be filled following the retirement of Micheline Calmy-Rey(SPS). Alain Berset (SPS) was elected in the second round. His election was supported by all parliamentary groups except that of SVP

Round 1 Round 2
Alain Berset 114 126
Pierre-Yves Maillard 59 63
Jean-François Rime 59 54
Marina Carobbio 10
Votes received by other persons 1 2
Votes cast 243 245
Invalid votes 0 0
Blank votes 0 0
Valid votes 243 245
Absolute majority 122 123

References