The procedure of the election is guided both by legal
requirements set down in the Swiss
Constitution, and by informal understandings between the major
parties, such as the Zauberformel
which describes a long-standing Concordance system in which the four
major Swiss parties, the Free Democratic
Party, the Christian
Democratic People's Party and the Social Democratic
Party, mutually concede the right to a representation in the
Federal Council roughly corresponting to each party's ballot in the
general election.
The legal requirements for the election is in article 175 of the
constitution and in articles 132f. of the parliamentary law of
2003.
It is customary to confirm sitting councillors seeking
re-election. Non-reelection of a candidate has occurred only four
times in the history of the Swiss federal state, twice in the 19th
century (Ulrich Ochsenbein 1854), Jean-Jacques Challet-Venel
1872) and twice in the 21st (Ruth
Metzler-Arnold 2003, Christoph Blocher 2007).
Councillors once elected have the right to serve their term and
there is no mechanism by which the parliament could enforce their
retirement. Each of the seven seats is subject to an individual
election, held in sequence of seniority. It is customary for the
major parties to name candidates. These candidacies aren't in any
way binding or legally official, but especially when there are
several vacancies to be filled, the individual fractions tend to
honour these nominations in order to increase the likelihood of
their own nominations being honoured. There have still been many
cases where such candidacies have been ignored, with another,
non-nominated member of the same party elected instead.
Since 1999, the constitution requires that the Federal Council
should be composed so that all regions and linguistic groups are duly represented.
Prior to 1999, it was merely required that only one Councillor from
any given canton may hold office at any
time.
Beyond the legal requirements, there are a number of
long-standing traditions in the composition of the Council: The
Federal Council never consisted of German-speaking members only, in
spite of the Swiss
German cantons recruiting a clear majority of the Federal
Assembly. Councillors from the German-speaking cantons have,
however, always been in the majority, usually in a 4:3 or 5:2
ratio. A majority of six German-speaking Councillors occurred only
once, in the 1876 to 1880 term. The "Stammlande" principle
traditionally elected only Councillors whose party held a majority
in their own canton of origin.
There have been repeated attempts to reform the system of
election to one of direct popular election.
A popular initiative to this effect was
repudiated in 1900 and again in 1942. The main argument against a
popular election is the problematic balance of linguistic and
regional minorities. A pure plurality voting system would
likely result in a Federal Council composed exclusively of
representatives of the urban, German-speaking cantons which account
for a majority of Swiss population.
year |
date |
newly elected |
regular term |
predecessor(s) |
notes |
1848 |
16 November |
Ulrich Ochsenbein, Jonas Furrer, Martin J. Munzinger, Henri Druey, Friedrich Frey-Herosé, Wilhelm Matthias Naeff and Stefano
Franscini |
|
– |
first election following the foundation of the Swiss Confederacy as a federal state with the
entering into force of the federal constitution on 12
September. |
1854 |
6 December |
Jakob
Stämpfli |
|
Ulrich
Ochsenbein |
non-reelection of Ochsenbein |
1855 |
11 July |
Constant
Fornerod |
|
Henri Druey
(died in office) |
1855 |
14 July |
Josef Martin Knüsel |
|
Martin J. Munzinger (died in office) |
Knüsel was elected after Johann Jakob Stehlin refused
to serve |
1857 |
39 July |
Giovanni Battista Pioda |
|
Stefano
Franscini (died in office) |
1861 |
30 July |
Jakob
Dubs |
|
Jonas Furrer
(died in office) |
1863 |
12 December |
Karl
Schenk |
|
Jakob
Stämpfli |
1864 |
12 July |
Jean-Jacques
Challet-Venel |
|
Giovanni Battista Pioda |
1866 |
8 December |
Emil Welti |
|
Friedrich Frey-Herosé |
1867 |
6 December |
Victor
Ruffy |
|
Constant
Fornerod |
1870 |
1 February |
Paul Ceresole |
|
Victor Ruffy
(died in office) |
1872 |
12 July |
Eugène
Borel, Johann Jakob Scherer |
|
Jean-Jacques
Challet-Venel |
non-reelection of Challet-Venel |
1875 |
10 December |
Bernhard
Hammer, Numa Droz,
Fridolin
Anderwert, Joachim
Heer |
|
Eugène
Borel, Paul Cérésole, Wilhelm Matthias Naeff, Josef Martin Knüsel |
Droz was elected after Louis Ruchonnet and Charles
Estoppey declined their election. |
1878 |
10 December |
Simeon
Bavier |
|
Joachim
Heer |
1879 |
21 March |
Wilhelm
Friedrich Hertenstein |
|
Johann Jakob Scherer |
1881 |
3 March |
Louis
Ruchonnet |
|
Fridolin Anderwert (died in
office) |
Karl
Hoffmann refused to serve |
1883 |
10 April |
Adolf
Deucher |
|
Simeon
Bavier |
1888 |
13 December |
Walter
Hauser |
|
Wilhelm Hertenstein (died in
office) |
1890 |
11 December |
Emil Frey |
|
Bernhard
Hammer |
1891 |
17 December |
Josef Zemp |
|
Emil Welti |
Zemp as a member of the Swiss Conservative People's Party (the
predecessor of the Christian
Democratic People's Party of Switzerland) was the first
councillor not of the Radical Party,
beginning of the Swiss concordance system. |
1892 |
15 December |
Adrien
Lachenal |
|
Numa Droz |
1893 |
14 December |
Eugène
Ruffy |
|
Louis
Ruchonnet (died in office) |
1895 |
16 August |
Eduard Müller |
|
Karl Schenk
(died in office) |
1897 |
25 March |
Ernst
Brenner |
|
Emil Frey |
1899 |
14 December |
Marc-Emile Ruchet, Robert
Comtesse |
|
Eugène
Ruffy, Adrien Lachenal |
1902 |
11 December |
Ludwig
Forrer |
|
Walter
Hauser (died in office) |
1908 |
17 June |
Josef Anton Schobinger |
|
Josef Zemp |
1911 |
4 April |
Arthur Hoffmann |
|
Ernst
Brenner (died in office) |
1911 |
14 December |
Giuseppe
Motta |
|
Josef Anton Schobinger, |
1912 |
12 March |
Louis
Perrier |
|
Robert
Comtesse |
1912 |
17 July |
Edmund
Schulthess, Camille Decoppet |
|
Adolf
Deucher (died in office), Marc-Emile Ruchet |
1913 |
12 June |
Felix-Louis Calonder |
|
Louis
Perrier |
1917 |
26 June |
Gustave
Ador |
|
Arthur Hoffmann |
Ador was the first, and to date only, councillor of the Liberal Party of
Switzerland |
1917 |
13 December |
Robert Haab |
|
Ludwig
Forrer |
|
1919 |
11 December |
Jean-Marie
Musy, Ernest
Chuard, Karl
Scheurer |
|
Gustave Ador,
Camille
Decoppet, Eduard Müller (died in
office) |
1920 |
12 February |
Heinrich Häberlin |
|
Felix-Louis
Calonder |
1928 |
13 December |
Marcel
Pilet-Golaz |
Swiss federal election,
1928 |
Ernest
Chuard |
|
1929 |
12 December |
Albert Meyer, Rudolf Minger |
|
Robert Haab, Karl Scheurer (died
in office) |
Minger was the first representative of the Party of Farmers,
Traders and Independents (BGB/PAI), the predecessor of the Swiss
People's Party. |
1931 |
|
|
Swiss federal election,
1931 |
|
|
1934 |
22 March |
Johannes
Baumann |
|
Heinrich Häberlin |
1934 |
28 March |
Philipp
Etter |
|
Jean-Marie
Musy |
1935 |
4 April |
Hermann
Obrecht |
|
Edmund
Schulthess |
1938 |
15 December |
Ernst
Wetter |
|
Albert Meyer |
1940 |
18 July |
Walther
Stampfli |
|
Hermann
Obrecht |
1940 |
10 December |
Enrico Celio,
Walther
Stampfli, Eduard von Steiger, Karl Kobelt |
|
Giuseppe
Motta, Rudolf
Minger, Johannes Baumann |
1943 |
15 December |
Ernst Nobs |
|
Ernst
Wetter |
First Councillor of the Social Democratic Party. |
1944 |
14 December |
Max
Petitpierre |
|
Marcel
Pilet-Golaz |
1947 |
11 December |
Rodolphe
Rubattel |
Swiss federal election,
1947 |
Walther
Stampfli |
|
1950 |
14 September |
Joseph Escher |
|
Enrico
Celio |
1951 |
13 December |
Markus
Feldmann, Max Weber |
Swiss federal election,
1951 |
|
Eduard
von Steiger, Ernst
Nobs |
1953 |
22 December |
Hans
Streuli |
|
Max Weber |
1954 |
16 December |
Thomas
Holenstein, Paul
Chaudet, Giuseppe Lepori |
|
Karl
Kobelt, Joseph Escher (died in office), Rodolphe
Rubattel |
1955 |
|
|
Swiss federal election,
1955 |
|
all sitting councillors confirmed |
1958 |
11 December |
Friedrich Traugott
Wahlen |
|
Markus Feldmann (died in office) |
1959 |
17 December |
Jean
Bourgknecht, Willy Spühler, Ludwig von Moos, Hans Peter Tschudi |
Swiss federal election,
1959 |
Philipp
Etter, Hans
Streuli, Thomas Holenstein, Giuseppe
Lepori |
beginning of the Zauberformel. Tschudi was elected instead
of the nominated candidate Walther Bringolf. |
1961 |
15 June |
Hans
Schaffner |
|
Max
Petitpierre |
1962 |
27 September |
Roger
Bonvin |
|
Jean
Bourgknecht |
1963 |
|
|
Swiss federal election,
1963 |
|
all sitting councillors confirmed |
1965 |
8 December |
Rudolf
Gnägi |
|
Friedrich Traugott
Wahlen |
1966 |
14 December |
Nello Celio |
|
Paul
Chaudet |
1967 |
|
|
Swiss federal election,
1967 |
|
all sitting councillors confirmed |
1969 |
10 December |
Ernst
Brugger, Pierre
Graber |
|
Hans
Schaffner, Willy Spühler |
1971 |
8 December |
Kurt
Furgler |
Swiss federal election,
1971 |
Ludwig von
Moos |
|
1973 |
5 December |
Willi
Ritschard, Hans Hürlimann, Georges-André Chevallaz |
|
Nello Celio, Roger Bonvin, Hans Peter Tschudi |
1975 |
|
|
Swiss federal election,
1975 |
|
all sitting councillors confirmed |
1977 |
7 December |
Fritz
Honegger, Pierre
Aubert |
|
Ernst
Brugger, Pierre
Graber |
1979 |
5 December |
Leon
Schlumpf |
Swiss federal election,
1979 |
Rudolf
Gnägi |
|
1982 |
8 December |
Alphons Egli,
Rudolf
Friedrich |
|
Hans Hürlimann, Fritz
Honegger |
1983 |
7 December |
Otto Stich, Jean-Pascal Delamuraz |
Swiss federal election,
1983 |
Willi
Ritschard (died in office), Georges-André Chevallaz |
first female candidate (Lilian Uchtenhagen) |
1984 |
2 October |
Elisabeth
Kopp |
|
Rudolf
Friedrich |
first successful female candidate |
1986 |
10 December |
Flavio Cotti,
Arnold
Koller |
|
Alphons
Egli, Kurt
Furgler |
1987 |
9 December |
Adolf Ogi, René Felber |
Swiss federal election,
1987 |
Leon
Schlumpf, Pierre
Aubert |
|
1989 |
1 February |
Kaspar
Villiger |
|
Elisabeth
Kopp |
Kopp was forced to resign after a political scandal. |
1991 |
|
|
Swiss federal election,
1991 |
|
all sitting councillors confirmed |
1993 |
10 March |
Ruth
Dreifuss |
|
René
Felber |
Francis
Matthey was elected instead of the nominated Christiane
Brunner. Matthey under pressure from his party refused to
serve, after Dreifuss which was elected. |
1995 |
27 September |
Moritz
Leuenberger |
Swiss federal election,
1995 |
Otto Stich |
|
1998 |
11 March |
Pascal
Couchepin |
|
Jean-Pascal Delamuraz |
|
1999 |
11 March |
Ruth Metzler-Arnold |
Swiss federal election,
1999 |
Arnold
Koller |
The Council for the first time has two female members. |
2000 |
6 December |
Samuel
Schmid |
|
Adolf Ogi |
|
2002 |
4 December |
Micheline Calmy-Rey |
|
Ruth
Dreifuss |
|
2003 |
10 December |
Christoph Blocher |
Swiss federal election,
2003 |
Ruth Metzler-Arnold |
non-reelection of Metzler-Arnold, end of the Zauberformel |
2006 |
14 June |
Doris
Leuthard |
|
Joseph
Deiss |
|
2007 |
12 December |
Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf |
Swiss federal election,
2007 |
Christoph Blocher |
non-reelection of Blocher. The Council for the first time
includes three female members. |
2008 |
10 December |
Ueli Maurer |
|
Samuel
Schmid |
Maurer was behind Hansjörg Walter in the first two rounds
and won 122:121 in the third. |
2009 |
16 September |
Didier
Burkhalter |
|
Pascal
Couchepin |
|