Swiss Federal Council election, 2015

The official portrait 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.

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.

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. 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.

Guy Parmelin, of the SVP, was ultimately elected on December 9. 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.

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 will become head of the Federal Department of Finance. The SVP gained its second seat in the Federal Council, which it had lost in 2008, when the newly-created BDP slit 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

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 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