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, for the 2016–2020 term.
Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, a member of the Conservative Democratic Party (BDP/PBD), announced she would not run for reelection after the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) won a record 29.4% of the vote, whilst her own party received 4.1% of the vote. The SVP/UDC was widely expected to fill her seat in the election; it chose Thomas Aeschi (Zug), Guy Parmelin (Vaud) and Norman Gobbi (Ticino) as candidates for the seat, with Aeschi being the favourite at the time.
Guy Parmelin, of the SVP/UDC, was ultimately elected by the Federal Assembly on 9 December 2015. Parmelin, a farmer and winegrower from Bursins in the canton of Vaud, became the first Federal Councillor 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 Federal Councillor Parmelin was selected to become head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports, replacing fellow SVP/UDC member Ueli Maurer, who became head of the Federal Department of Finance. The SVP/UDC regained its second seat on the Federal Council, which it had lost in 2008, when the newly created BDP/PBD split from the SVP/UDC.
Incumbents Incumbents, in descending order of seniority, including political party affiliation and department at the time of the election: Doris Leuthard (CVP/PDC), from Aargau, head of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications, Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf (BDP/PBD), from Grisons, head of the Federal Department of Finance (did not run for reelection), Ueli Maurer (SVP/UDC), from Zürich, head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports, Didier Burkhalter (FDP.The Liberals), from Neuchâtel, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Simonetta Sommaruga (SPS/PSS), from Bern, head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police, Johann Schneider-Ammann (FDP.The Liberals), from Bern, head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, Alain Berset (SPS/PSS), from Fribourg, head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs.
Results Source showing only the final tallies in favour of the winner of each seat:
Seat held by Doris Leuthard
Doris Leuthard (CVP/PDC) was reelected in the first round of voting.
Round 1 Doris Leuthard 215 Votes received by other persons 19 Votes cast 245 Invalid votes 3 Blank votes 8 Valid votes 234 Absolute majority 118
Seat held by Ueli Maurer
Ueli Maurer (SVP/UDC) was reelected in the first round of voting.
Round 1 Ueli Maurer 173 Thomas Hurter 10 Votes received by other persons 27 Votes cast 245 Invalid votes 3 Blank votes 32 Valid votes 210 Absolute majority 106
Seat held by Didier Burkhalter
Didier Burkhalter (FDP.The Liberals) was reelected in the first round of voting. Round 1 Didier Burkhalter 217 Votes received by other persons 14 Votes cast 244 Invalid votes 0 Blank votes 13 Valid votes 231 Absolute majority 116
Seat held by Simonetta Sommaruga
Simonetta Sommaruga (SPS/PSS) was reelected in the first round of voting. Round 1 Simonetta Sommaruga 182 Daniel Jositsch 11 Votes received by other persons 28 Votes cast 245 Invalid votes 5 Blank votes 19 Valid votes 221 Absolute majority 111
Seat held by Johann Schneider-Ammann
Johann Schneider-Ammann (FDP.The Liberals) was reelected in the first round of voting. Round 1 Johann Schneider-Ammann 191 Votes received by other persons 28 Votes cast 244 Invalid votes 2 Blank votes 23 Valid votes 219 Absolute majority 110
Seat held by Alain Berset
Alain Berset (SPS/PSS) was reelected in the first round of voting. Round 1 Alain Berset 210 Votes received by other persons 23 Votes cast 243 Invalid votes 2 Blank votes 8 Valid votes 233 Absolute majority 117
Vacant seat
Guy Parmelin (SVP/UDC) 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 by 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
References