Guy Parmelin, 66, announced on October 2nd that he would leave the Federal Council at the end of his term as Swiss president, on December 31st.
“I informed my colleagues this morning during the weekly Federal Council meeting of my decision to step down as Federal Councillor on December 31st,” Parmelin stated at a press conference in Bern.
“By then, it will have been 11 years since I was elected to this office, and the time has come for me to make way for fresh energy in these times of great uncertainty,” he added, admitting to feeling “a certain weariness” but ruling out any medical reasons.
Elected for the year 2026 to succeed Liberal Karin Keller-Sutter, this representative of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) had previously served as President in 2021.
This role is held on a rotating basis each year by one of the seven members of the Federal Council, following a pre-established order.
Parmelin, a French-speaking winemaker from Vaud, had served on the Federal Council since 2016.
He successively headed the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) and the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) – a position he currently holds alongside the presidency.
In Switzerland, the four leading parties—the SVP, the Social Democratic Party (SP), the FDP (The Liberals), and The Centre—share the seven ministerial portfolios according to the so-called “magic formula” system: 2-2-2-1.
Once in government, however, ministers seek to make decisions by consensus—a process that can take time—and are required to defend the decisions reached collectively, even if these do not align with their party’s position.
