The President of the National Council of Switzerland (; , ; ) presides over the National Council and Federal Assembly. The National Council President is often colloquially referred to as the "highest Swiss person" (), as the highest ranking person subject to the people's vote. However, this is an honorary title and the president is not the head of state; the head of state is the entire Federal Council. In the official order of precedence, she or he ranks behind the members of the Federal Council, but ahead of the President of the Swiss Council of States.
The President of the National Council also chairs the United Federal Assembly which meets to set elections, decides conflicts of jurisdiction between federal authorities and issues pardons. The officeholder is elected by the National Council for a term of one year without the possibility and may not be elected for a second consecutive term, but may be elected to the post in the future.
List of presidents of the National Council No.Portrait Name TermParty Canton1Ulrich Ochsenbein(1811–1890)1848 Radical LeftBern2Jakob Robert Steiger(1801–1862)1848–1849Radical LeftLucerne3Alfred Escher(1819–1882)1849–1850Radical LeftZurich4Johann Konrad Kern(1808–1888)1850–1851Radical LeftThurgau5Jakob Stämpfli(1820–1879)1851Radical LeftBern6Johann Jakob Trog(1807–1867)1851–1852Radical LeftSolothurn7Johann Matthias Hungerbühler(1805–1884)1852–1853Radical LeftSt. Gallen8Giovanni Battista Pioda(1808–1882)1853–1854Radical LeftTicino9Jakob Dubs(1822–1879)1854Radical LeftZurich10Casimir Pfyffer(1794–1875)1854–1855Radical LeftLucerne11Eduard Blösch(1807–1866)1855–1856Evangelical RightBern12Friedrich Siegfried(1809–1882)1856Radical LeftAargau13Jules Martin(1824–1875)1856Radical LeftVaud(3)Alfred Escher(1819–1882)1856–1857Radical LeftZurich14Paul Migy(1814–1879)1857Radical LeftBern15Augustin Keller(1805–1883)1857–1858Radical LeftAargau16Johann Jakob Stehlin(1803–1879)1858–1859Liberal CentreBasel-Stadt17Friedrich Peyer im Hof(1817–1900)1859–1860Radical LeftSchaffhausen18Johann Baptist Weder(1800–1872)1860Radical LeftSt. Gallen19Édouard Dapples(1807–1887)1860–1861Liberal CentreVaud20Karl Karrer(1815–1886)1861–1862Radical LeftBern(3)Alfred Escher(1819–1882)1862–1863Liberal CentreZurich21Joachim Heer(1825–1879)1863Liberal CentreGlarus22Victor Ruffy(1823–1869)1863–1864Radical LeftVaud23Gottlieb Jäger(1805–1891)1864–1865Liberal CentreAargau24Andreas Rudolf von Planta(1819–1889)1865–1866Liberal CentreGrisons25Niklaus Niggeler(1817–1872)1866Radical LeftBern26Jules Philippin(1818–1882)1866–1867Radical LeftNeuchâtel(16)Johann Jakob Stehlin(1803–1879)1867–1868Liberal CentreBasel-Stadt27Simon Kaiser(1828–1898)1868–1869Radical LeftSolothurn28Louis Ruchonnet(1834–1893)1869Radical LeftVaud(21)Joachim Heer(1825–1879)1869–1870Liberal CentreGlarus29Fridolin Anderwert(1828–1880)1870–1871Democratic LeftThurgau30Rudolf Brunner(1827–1894)1871–1872Radical LeftBern31Charles Friderich(1828–1880)1872Liberal CentreGeneva32Daniel Wirth(1815–1901)1872–1873Liberal CentreSt. Gallen33Gottlieb Ziegler(1828–1898)1873–1874Democratic LeftZurich34Carl Feer-Herzog(1820–1880)1874Liberal CentreAargau(28)Louis Ruchonnet(1834–1893)1874–1875Radical LeftVaud(5)Jakob Stämpfli(1820–1879)1875Radical LeftBern35Emil Frey(1838–1922)1875–1876Democratic LeftBasel-Landschaft36Arnold Otto Aepli(1816–1897)1876–1877Liberal CentreSt. Gallen37Eduard Marti(1829–1896)1877–1878Radical LeftBern(26)Jules Philippin(1818–1882)1878Radical LeftNeuchâtel38Melchior Römer(1831–1895)1878–1879Liberal CentreZurich39Arnold Künzli(1832–1908)1879–1880Radical LeftAargau40Karl Burckhardt(1830–1893)1880–1881Radical LeftBasel-Stadt41Antoine Vessaz(1833–1911)1881Radical LeftVaud42Karl Zyro(1834–1896)1881–1882Radical LeftBern43Adolf Deucher(1831–1912)1882–1883DPThurgau(27)Simon Kaiser(1828–1898)1883–1884Radical LeftSolothurn44Georges Favon(1843–1902)1884Radical LeftGeneva45Johannes Stössel(1837–1919)1884–1885DPZurich46Andrea Bezzola(1840–1897)1885–1886Radical LeftGrisons47Henri Morel(1838–1912)1886–1887Radical LeftNeuchâtel48Josef Zemp(1834–1908)1887Catholic RightLucerne49Erwin Kurz(1846–1901)1887–1888Radical LeftAargau50Eugène Ruffy(1854–1919)1888–1889Radical LeftVaud51Friedrich Heinrich Häberlin(1834–1897)1889–1890Radical LeftThurgau52August Suter(1829–1901)1890Radical LeftSt. Gallen53Eduard Müller(1848–1919)1890–1891Radical LeftBern54Adrien Lachenal(1849–1918)1891–1892Radical LeftGeneva55Albert Brosi(1836–1911)1892–1893Radical LeftSolothurn56Ludwig Forrer(1845–1921)1893DPZurich57Robert Comtesse(1847–1922)1893–1894Radical LeftNeuchâtel58Ernst Brenner(1856–1911)1894–1895FDPBasel-Stadt59Jakob Huldreich Bachmann(1843–1915)1895–1896Liberal CentreThurgau60Joseph Stockmar(1851–1919)1896FDPBern61Rudolf Gallati(1845–1904)1896Liberal CentreGlarus62Johann Joseph Keel(1837–1902)1896–1897Catholic RightSt. Gallen63Robert Grieshaber(1846–1928)1897–1898FDPSchaffhausen64Adrien Thélin(1842–1922)1898–1899FDPVaud65Hermann Heller(1850–1917)1899FDPLucerne66Rudolf Geilinger(1848–1911)1899–1900FDPZurich67Fritz Bühlmann(1848–1936)1900–1901FDPBern68Gustave Ador(1845–1928)1901–1902Liberal CentreGeneva69Ulrich Meister(1838–1917)1902FDPZurich70Clemens Iten(1858–1932)1902FDPZug71Conradin Zschokke(1842–1918)1902–1903FDPAargau72Louis Martin(1838–1913)1903–1904FDPNeuchâtel73Josef Anton Schobinger(1849–1911)1904–1905Catholic RightLucerne74Johann Hirter(1855–1926)1905–1906FDPBern75Camille Decoppet(1862–1925)1906–1907FDPVaud76Paul Speiser(1846–1935)1907–1908Liberal CentreBasel-Stadt77Adolf Germann(1857–1924)1908–1909FDPThurgau78Virgile Rossel(1858–1933)1909–1910FDPBern79Joseph Kuntschen(1849–1928)1910–1911Catholic RightValais80Karl Emil Wild(1856–1923)1911–1912FDPSt. Gallen81Carl Spahn(1863–1943)1912–1913FDPSchaffhausen82Alfred von Planta(1857–1922)1913–1914LPSGrisons83Felix Bonjour(1858–1942)1914–1915FDPVaud84Arthur Eugster(1863–1922)1915–1916FDPAppenzell Ausserrhoden85Anton Büeler(1858–1939)1916–1917KVPSchwyz86Henri Calame(1867–1936)1917–1918FDPNeuchâtel87Heinrich Häberlin(1868–1947)1918–1919FDPThurgau88Eduard Blumer(1848–1925)1919–1920DPGlarus89Evaristo Garbani-Nerini(1867–1944)1920–1921FDPTicino90Emil Klöti(1877–1963)1921–1922SPZurich91Johann Jenny(1857–1937)1922–1923BGBBern92Raymond Evéquoz(1863–1945)1923–1924KVPValais93Albert Mächler(1868–1937)1924–1925FDPSt. Gallen94Emil Hofmann(1865–1927)1925–1926DPThurgau95Paul Maillefer(1862–1929)1926–1927FDPVaud96Rudolf Minger(1881–1955)1927–1928BGBBern97Heinrich Walther(1862–1954)1928–1929KVPLucerne98Ernest-Paul Graber(1875–1956)1929–1930SPNeuchâtel99Hans Sträuli(1862–1938)1930–1931DPZurich100Heinrich Roman Abt(1883–1942)1931–1932BGBAargau101Ruggero Dollfus(1876–1948)1932–1933KVPTicino102Johannes Huber(1879–1948)1933–1934SPSt. Gallen103Hermann Schüpbach(1877–1949)1934–1935FDPBern104Rudolf Reichling(1890–1977)1935–1936BGBZurich105Maurice Troillet(1880–1961)1936–1937KVPValais106Fritz Hauser(1884–1941)1937–1938SPBasel-Stadt107Henry Vallotton(1891–1971)1938–1939FDPVaud108Hans Stähli(1889–1963)1939–1940BGBBern109Emil Nietlispach(1887–1962)1940–1941KVPAargau110Charles Rosselet(1893–1946)1941–1942SPGeneva111Emil Keller(1878–1965)1942–1943FDPAargau112Paul Gysler(1893–1966)1943–1944BGBZurich113Pierre Aeby(1884–1957)1944–1945KVPFribourg114Robert Grimm(1881–1958)1945–1946SPBern115Max Wey(1892–1953)1946–1947FDPLucerne116Albert Picot(1882–1966)1947–1948LPSGeneva117Josef Escher(1885–1954)1948–1949KVPValais118Jacques Schmid(1882–1960)1949–1950SPSolothurn119Aleardo Pini(1907–1960)1950–1951FDPTicino120Karl Renold(1888–1959)1951–1952BGBAargau121Thomas Holenstein(1896–1962)1952–1953KVPSt. Gallen122Henri Perret(1928–1955)1953–1954SPNeuchâtel123Hermann Häberlin(1894–1975)1954–1955FDPZurich124Paul Burgdorfer(1903–1973)1955–1956BGBBern125Josef Condrau(1894–1974)1956–1957KVPGrisons126Robert Bratschi(1891–1981)1957–1958SPBern127Eugen Dietschi(1896–1986)1958–1959FDPBasel-Stadt128Gaston Clottu(1912–1995)1959–1960LPSNeuchâtel129Emil Duft(1895–1978)1960–1961KCVPZurich130Walther Bringolf(1895–1981)1961–1962SPSchaffhausen131André Guinand(1901–1991)1962–1963FDPGeneva132Otto Hess(1897–1988)1963–1964BGBThurgau133Franz Josef Kurmann(1917–1988)1964–1965KCVPLucerne134Pierre Graber(1908–2003)1965–1966SPVaud135Alfred Schaller(1908–1985)1966–1967FDPBasel-Stadt136Hans Conzett(1915–1996)1967–1968BGBZurich137Max Aebischer(1914–2009)1968–1969KCVPFribourg138Mathias Eggenberger(1905–1975)1969–1970SPSt. Gallen139Alfred Weber(1923–2015)1970–1971FDPUri140William Vontobel(1909–1973)1971–1972LdUZurich141Enrico Franzoni(1920–2008)1972–1973KCVPTicino142Anton Muheim(1916–2016)1973–1974SPLucerne143Simon Kohler(1916–1990)1974–1975FDPBern144Rudolf Etter(1914–1982)1975–1976SVPBern145Hans Wyer(1927–2012)1976–1977CVPValais146Elisabeth Blunschy(1922–2015)1977CVPSchwyz147Alfred Bussey(1915–1987)1977–1978SPVaud148Luigi Generali(1920–2005)1978–1979FDPTicino149Hanspeter Fischer(1930–2009)1979–1980SVPThurgau150Laurent Butty(1925–1990)1980–1981CVPFribourg151Hedi Lang(1931–2004)1981–1982SPZurich152Franz Eng(1928–2022)1982–1983FDPSolothurn153André Gautier(1924–2000)1983–1984LPSGeneva154Arnold Koller(born 1933)1984–1985CVPAppenzell Innerrhoden155Martin Bundi(1932–2020)1985–1986SPGrisons156Jean-Jacques Cevey(1928–2014)1986–1987FDPVaud157Rudolf Reichling(1924–2014)1987–1988SVPZurich158Joseph Iten(born 1943)1988–1989CVPNidwalden159Victor Ruffy(1937–2016)1989–1990SPVaud160Ulrich Bremi(1929–2021)1990–1991FDPZurich161Hans-Rudolf Nebiker(1929–2008)1991–1992SVPBasel-Landschaft162Paul Schmidhalter(1931–2005)1992–1993CVPValais163Gret Haller(born 1947)1993–1994SPBern164Claude Frey(born 1943)1994–1995FDPNeuchâtel165Jean-François Leuba(1934–2004)1995–1996LPSVaud166Judith Stamm(1934–2022)1996–1997CVPLucerne167Ernst Leuenberger(1945–2009)1997–1998SPSolothurn168Trix Heberlein(born 1942)1998–1999FDPZurich169Hanspeter Seiler(born 1933)1999–2000SVPBern170Peter Hess(born 1948)2000–2001CVPZug171Liliane Maury Pasquier(born 1956)2001–2002SPGeneva172Yves Christen(born 1941)2002–2003FDPVaud173Max Binder(born 1947)2003–2004SVPZurich174Jean-Philippe Maitre(1949–2006)2004–2005CVPGeneva175Thérèse Meyer(born 1948)2005CVPFribourg176Claude Janiak(born 1948)2005–2006SPBasel-Landschaft177Christine Egerszegi(born 1948)2006–2007FDPAargau178André Bugnon(born 1947)2007–2008SVPVaud179Chiara Simoneschi-Cortesi(born 1946)2008–2009CVPTicino180Pascale Bruderer(born 1977)2009–2010SPAargau181Jean-René Germanier(born 1958)2010–2011FDPValais182Hansjörg Walter(born 1951)2011–2012SVPThurgau183Maya Graf(born 1962)2012–2013GreenBasel-Landschaft184Ruedi Lustenberger(born 1950)2013–2014CVPLucerne185Stéphane Rossini(born 1963)2014–2015SPValais186Christa Markwalder(born 1975)2015–2016FDPBern187Jürg Stahl(born 1968)2016–2017SVPZurich188Dominique de Buman(born 1956)2017–2018CVPFribourg189Marina Carobbio Guscetti(born 1966)2018–2019SPTicino190Isabelle Moret(born 1970)2019–2020FDPVaud191Andreas Aebi(born 1958)2020–2021SVPBern192Irène Kälin(born 1987)2021–2022GreenAargau193Martin Candinas(born 1980)2022–2023CentreGrisons194Eric Nussbaumer(born 1960)2023–2024SPBasel-Landschaft195Maja Riniker(born 1978)2024–2025FDPAargau196Pierre-André Page (born 1960)2025–presentSVPFribourg
Statistics by canton These counts by canton do not take in account the varying number of members of the National Council per canton (in 2005: 1-34 members).
Presidencies Cantons 28 Bern 23 Zürich 20 Vaud 15 Aargau 12 St. Gallen 10 Geneva, Neuchâtel, Thurgau 9 Lucerne 8 Basel-Stadt 7 Solothurn, Ticino, Valais 6 Grisons 4 Freiburg, Glarus, Schaffhausen, Basel-Landschaft 3 2 Schwyz, Zug 1 Appenzell Innerrhoden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Nidwalden, Uri 0 Jura, Obwalden
List of vice presidents of the National Council
Before 1999