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{{Short description|Federal government of Switzerland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Federal Council
| body = 
| native_name = {{plainlist|
* {{native name|de|Bundesrat|nolink=on}}
* {{native name|fr|Conseil fédéral|nolink=on}}
* {{native name|it|Consiglio federale|nolink=on}}
* {{native name|rm|Cussegl federal|nolink=on}}
}}
| insignia = Logo der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft.svg
| insigniasize = 250px
| insigniacaption = 
| status = [[Head of state]] [[Head of government]]
| style = [[Excellency|His/Her Excellency]]
| image = Bundesratsfoto 2024.jpg
| imagesize = 250px
| incumbentlabel = The 2024 Federal Council {{small|(from left to right)}}
| incumbent = {{small|{{ubl|[[Viktor Rossi]] ([[Chancellor of Switzerland|Chancellor]])|[[Élisabeth Baume-Schneider]]|[[Ignazio Cassis]]|[[Karin Keller-Sutter]] ([[President of the Swiss Confederation#Vice-President of the Federal Council|Vice-President]])|[[Viola Amherd]] ([[President of the Swiss Confederation|President]])|[[Guy Parmelin]]|[[Albert Rösti]]|[[Beat Jans]]}}}}
| formation = {{Start date and age|df=y|1848}}
| inaugural = {{ubl|[[Ulrich Ochsenbein]]|[[Jonas Furrer]]|[[Martin J. Munzinger]]|[[Henri Druey]]|[[Friedrich Frey-Herosé]]|[[Wilhelm Matthias Naeff]]|[[Stefano Franscini]]}}
| appointer = [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly]]
| termlength = Four years, no term limit
| salary = {{CHF|472,958|link=yes}} annually per councillor<ref>{{Cite web |last=Council |first=The Federal |title=How much does a federal councillor earn? |url=https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/bundesrat/aufgaben-des-bundesrates/von-der-wahl-bis-zum-ruecktritt.html |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=www.admin.ch |language=en}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html|admin.ch}}
}}
{{Politics of Switzerland}}
The '''Federal Council'''<ref>({{lang-de|Bundesrat}}; {{lang-fr|Conseil fédéral}}; {{lang-it|Consiglio federale}}; {{lang-rm|Cussegl federal}})</ref> is the federal [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] of the [[Switzerland|Swiss Confederation]]. Its seven members also serve as the collective [[head of state]] and [[Head of government|government]] of Switzerland. Since after World War II, the Federal Council is by convention a permanent [[grand coalition]] government composed of representatives of the [[List of political parties in Switzerland|country's major parties]] and [[Languages of Switzerland|language regions]].

While the entire Federal Council is responsible for leading the [[federal administration of Switzerland]], each Councillor heads one of the seven federal executive departments. The [[President of the Swiss Confederation]] chairs the council, but exercises no particular authority; rather, the position is one of a [[Primus inter pares|first among equals]] and rotates among the seven Councillors annually.

The [[Swiss Federal Council election|Federal Council is elected]] as a body by the 246 members of the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly of Switzerland]] for a term of four years after each [[Elections in Switzerland|federal parliamentary election]], without the possibility of [[Recall election|recall]] or a [[Motion of no confidence|vote of no confidence]]. Incumbents are not [[Term limit|term-limited]] and are by convention almost always re-elected; most serve around 8 to 12 years in office.

== Members ==
{{As of|2024|post=,}} the members of the Federal Council are, in order of seniority:
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan=2| Member
! Portrait
! Joined
! Party
! Canton
! Function
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Swiss People's Party}}" |
| [[Guy Parmelin]]
| [[File:Guy Parmelin (2024, cropped).jpg|50px]]
| 1 January 2016
| [[Swiss People's Party]]
| [[File:Wappen Waadt matt.svg|14px]] [[Vaud]]
| Head of the [[Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research]]
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}" |
| [[Ignazio Cassis]]
| [[File:Ignazio Cassis (2024, cropped).jpg|50px]]
| 1 November 2017
| [[The Liberals (Switzerland)|Liberals]]
| [[File:Wappen Tessin matt.svg|14px]] [[Ticino]]
| Head of the [[Federal Department of Foreign Affairs]]
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland}}" |
| [[Viola Amherd]]
| [[File:Viola Amherd (2024, cropped).jpg|50px]]
| 1 January 2019
| [[The Centre (political party)|Centre]]
| [[File:Wappen Wallis matt.svg|14px]] [[Valais]]
| President for 2024 Head of the [[Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport]]
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}" |
| {{nowrap|[[Karin Keller-Sutter]]}}
| [[File:Karin Keller-Sutter (2024, cropped).jpg|50px]]
| {{nowrap|1 January 2019}}
| [[The Liberals (Switzerland)|Liberals]]
| [[File:Coat of arms of canton of St. Gallen.svg|14px]] [[Canton of St. Gallen|St. Gallen]]
| Vice President for 2024 Head of the [[Federal Department of Finance]]
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Swiss People's Party}}" |
| [[Albert Rösti]]
| [[File:Albert Rösti (2024, cropped).jpg|50px]]
| 1 January 2023
| [[Swiss People's Party]]
| [[File:Wappen Bern matt.svg|14px]] [[Canton of Bern|Bern]]
| Head of the [[Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications]]
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}" |
| [[Élisabeth Baume-Schneider]]
| [[File:Élisabeth Baume-Schneider (2024, cropped).jpg|50px]]
| 1 January 2023
| [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]]
| [[File:Wappen Jura matt.svg|14px]] [[Canton of Jura|Jura]]
| Head of the [[Federal Department of Home Affairs]]
|-
| width=5px style="background-color: {{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}" |
| [[Beat Jans]]
| [[File:Beat Jans (2024, cropped).jpg|50px]]
| 1 January 2024
| [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]]
| [[File:Wappen Basel-Stadt matt.svg|14px]] [[Basel-Stadt]]
| Head of the [[Federal Department of Justice and Police]]
|-
|}

== Origins and history ==
=== Origins of the institution ===
The Federal Council was instituted by the 1848 [[Swiss Federal Constitution|Federal Constitution]] as the "supreme executive and directorial authority of the Confederation".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/101/a174.html |title=dCst. art. 174 |access-date=17 March 2006 |archive-date=8 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101208145329/http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/101/a174.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

When the Constitution was written, [[constitutional democracy]] was still in its infancy, and the [[Founding Fathers|founding fathers]] of Switzerland had little in the way of examples. While they drew heavily on the [[United States Constitution]] for the organisation of the federal state as a whole, they opted for the [[Collegiality|collegial]] rather than the presidential system for the executive branch of government ([[directorial system]]). This accommodated the long tradition of the rule of collective bodies in Switzerland. Under the ''[[Ancien Régime of Switzerland|Ancien Régime]]'', the [[Cantons of Switzerland|cantons]] of the [[Old Swiss Confederacy]] had been governed by councils of pre-eminent citizens since time immemorial, and the later [[Helvetic Republic]] (with its equivalent Directorate)<ref>See: {{HDS|26424|Directorate}}</ref> as well as the cantons that had given themselves liberal constitutions since the 1830s had also had good experiences with that mode of governance.<ref>{{HDS|10347|Departments: Development on the Federal Level}} {{HDS|10093|Collegial System}}</ref>

Today, only three other states, [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Andorra]] and [[San Marino]], have collective rather than unitary heads of state. However the collegial system of government has found widespread adoption in modern [[democracy|democracies]] in the form of [[cabinet government]] with collective responsibility.

=== Changes in composition ===
[[File:Sitzverteilung Bundesrat.png|thumb|500px|Composition of the Federal Council by political party, 1919 to 2017]]
The 1848 constitutional provision providing for the Federal Council{{spaced ndash}}and indeed the institution of the Council itself{{spaced ndash}}has remained unchanged to this day, even though Swiss society has changed profoundly since.

==== Party representation ====
===== Free Democratic hegemony, 1848–1891 =====
{{See also|Switzerland as a federal state}}
The 1848 Constitution was one of the few successes of the Europe-wide democratic [[revolutions of 1848]]. In Switzerland, the democratic movement was led{{spaced ndash}}and the new federal state decisively shaped{{spaced ndash}}by the ''Radicals'' (presently [[The Liberals (Switzerland)|FDP. The Liberals]]). After winning the ''[[Sonderbund War]]'' (the Swiss civil war) against the Catholic cantons, the Radicals at first used their majority in the [[Swiss Federal Assembly|Federal Assembly]] to fill all the seats on the Federal Council. This made their former war opponents, the ''Catholic-Conservatives'' (presently the [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|Christian Democratic People's Party]], CVP), the [[opposition party]]. Only after [[Emil Welti]]'s resignation in 1891 after a failed referendum on [[Swiss Federal Railways|railway]] [[nationalisation]] did the Radicals decide to [[co-optation|co-opt]] the Conservatives by supporting the election of [[Josef Zemp]].

===== Emerging coalition government, 1891–1959 =====
The process of involving all major political movements of Switzerland into the responsibility of government continued during the first half of the 20th century. It was hastened by the FDP's and CVP's gradually diminishing voter shares, complemented by the rise of new parties of lesser power at the ends of the [[political spectrum]]. These were the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]] (SP) on the [[Left-wing|Left]] and the Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents (BGB; presently the [[Swiss People's Party|People's Party]], SVP) on the [[Right-wing|Right]]. In due course, the CVP received its second seat in 1919 with [[Jean-Marie Musy]], while the BGB joined the Council in 1929 with [[Rudolf Minger]]. In 1943, during World War II, the Social Democrats were also temporarily included with [[Ernst Nobs]].

=====Grand coalition, 1959–2003=====
{{Main|Magic formula (Swiss politics)}}
The 1959 elections, following the resignation of four Councillors, finally established the ''[[Zauberformel]]'', the "magical formula" that determined the Council's composition during the rest of the 20th century and established the long-standing nature of the Council as a permanent, voluntary [[grand coalition]].<ref name="zaubeformel">{{HDS|10097|Zauberformel}}</ref> In approximate relation to the parties' respective strength in the Federal Assembly, the seats were distributed as follows:
* [[Free Democratic Party of Switzerland|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP/PRD): 2 members,
* [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|Christian Democratic People's Party]] (CVP/PDC): 2 members,
* [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]] (SP/PS): 2 members,
* [[Swiss People's Party]] (SVP/UDC): 1 member.

During that time, the FDP/PRD and CVP/PDC very slowly but steadily kept losing voter share to the SVP/UDC and SP/PS, respectively, which overtook the older parties in popularity during the 1990s.

=====End of the grand coalition, 2008=====
:{{Main|2007 Swiss Federal Council election}}
The governmental balance was changed after the 2003 elections, when the SVP/UDC was granted a Council seat for their leader [[Christoph Blocher]] that had formerly belonged to the CVP/PDC's [[Ruth Metzler]]. Due to controversies surrounding his conduct in office, a narrow Assembly majority did not reelect Blocher in 2007 and chose instead [[Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf]], a more moderate SVP/UDC politician, against party policy. This led to a split of the SVP/UDC in 2008. After liberal regional SVP/UDC groups including Federal Councillors Widmer-Schlumpf and [[Samuel Schmid]] founded a new [[Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland|Conservative Democratic Party]], the SVP/UDC was left in opposition for the first time since 1929, but returned into the Council with the election of [[Ueli Maurer]] on 10 December 2008, who regained the seat previously held by Schmid, who had resigned. The SVP/UDC regained its second seat on the Council in [[2015 Swiss Federal Council election|2015]], when Widmer-Schlumpf decided to resign after the SVP/UDC's large election gains in the [[2015 Swiss federal election|2015 election]], being replaced by [[Guy Parmelin]].<ref>{{cite web | last1=Jaberg | first1=Samuel | last2=Stephens | first2=Thomas | title=Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf to Stand Down | url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/exit-of-eveline-widmer-schlumpf_a-minister-who-symbolised-the-end-of-banking-secrecy/41745150 | date=28 October 2015 | website=[[Swissinfo]] | access-date=12 January 2016}}</ref><ref name="Gains">{{cite web | last1=Mombelli | first1=Armando | title=People's Party Gains Second Seat in Cabinet | url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/cabinet-elections_how-will-new-ingredients-change--magic-formula--/41825058 | date=10 December 2015 | website=[[Swissinfo]] | access-date=12 January 2016}}</ref>

==== Women on the council ====
Women gained [[Women's suffrage|suffrage]] on the federal level in 1971. They remained unrepresented in the Federal Council for three further legislatures, until the 1984 election of [[Elisabeth Kopp]]. In 1983, the failed election of the first official female candidate, [[Lilian Uchtenhagen]] and again in 1993 the failed election of [[Christiane Brunner]] (both SP/PS), was controversial and the Social Democrats each time considered withdrawing from the council altogether.<ref name="zaubeformel"/>

There were two female councillors serving simultaneously for the first time in 1999, and three out of seven councillors were women from 2007 till 2010, when [[Simonetta Sommaruga]] was elected as the fourth woman in government in place of [[Moritz Leuenberger]], putting men in minority for the first time in history. Also remarkable is the fact that the eighth non-voting member of government, the chancellor, who sets the government agenda, was also a woman.

In total, there have been ten female councillors in the period 1989 to present:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Swiss Federal Council |date=16 June 2023 |title=Frauen im Bundesrat (women on the Federal Council) |url=https://www.admin.ch/gov/de/start/bundesrat/geschichte-des-bundesrats/frauen-im-bundesrat.html}}</ref>

*The first woman councillor was [[Elisabeth Kopp]] (FDP/PRD), elected 1984, resigned in 1989.
*[[Ruth Dreifuss]] (SP/PS), served from 1993 to 2002, was the first woman to become President of the Confederation in 1999. Since her election there has always been at least one woman on the council.
*[[Ruth Metzler]] (Metzler-Arnold at the time) (CVP/PDC), served from 1999 to 2003 and was not re-elected to a second term ([[2007 Swiss Federal Council election|see above]]). Upon her election two women served on the council simultaneously for the first time.
*[[Micheline Calmy-Rey]] (SP/PS) was elected in 2003 and served until 2011.
*[[Doris Leuthard]] (CVP/PDC) was elected in 2006 and served until 2018.
*[[Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf]] was elected in December 2007 and served until December 2015.
*[[Simonetta Sommaruga]] was elected in September 2010. Together with Micheline Calmy-Rey, Doris Leuthard and Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, women were in the majority in the Federal Council for the first time, until January 2012, when [[Alain Berset]] replaced Micheline Calmy-Rey.<ref name= "Swissinfo 2010">{{cite web|title=Elections produce female majority in cabinet|url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/specials/election_cabinet/Elections_produce_female_majority_in_cabinet.html?cid=28376382|work=Swissinfo.ch|publisher=SRG SSR Idée Suisse|access-date=22 September 2010|date=22 September 2010}}</ref>
* [[Karin Keller-Sutter]] and [[Viola Amherd]] were elected on 5 December 2018 and are currently on the council.
* [[Élisabeth Baume-Schneider]] was elected on 7 December 2022 and is the most recent woman to be elected to the council.

==== Regional balancing acts ====
Until 1999, the Constitution mandated that no canton could have multiple representatives on the Federal Council at the same time. For most of Swiss history, the canton of any given councillor was determined by their place of origin, but starting in 1987 this was changed to the canton from which they were elected (for former members of the Federal Assembly or cantonal legislative or executive bodies) or place of residence.<ref>See {{HDS|10085|Federal Council}}</ref> Nothing prevented candidates from moving to politically expedient cantons; this was one of the motivators for abolishing the rule. At the [[1999 Swiss referendums]], the Constitution was changed to require an equitable distribution of seats among the cantons and language groups of the country, without setting concrete quotas.

Since the rule against Federal Councillors being from the same canton was abolished, there have been a few examples of it happening. The first time was from 2003 to 2007, when both [[Moritz Leuenberger]] and [[Christoph Blocher]] from the [[canton of Zürich]] were in office. It happened again between 2010 and 2018, starting when [[Simonetta Sommaruga]] and [[Johann Schneider-Ammann]] from the [[canton of Bern]] were [[2010 Swiss Federal Council election|elected in 2010]].<ref name="Swissinfo 2010" /> As of 2023, four cantons have never been represented on the Federal Council: [[Nidwalden]], [[Canton of Schaffhausen|Schaffhausen]], [[Canton of Schwyz|Schwyz]], [[Canton of Uri|Uri]]. The canton of [[Canton of Jura|Jura]] is the most recent canton to be represented; since 1 January 2023, it has been represented by [[Élisabeth Baume-Schneider|Elisabeth Baume-Schneider]].

With the Council's 2023 iteration, the constitutional requirement that languages and regions be appropriately balanced is under increased strain. [[Romance languages|"Latin speakers"]] – people who either speak French, Italian, or Romansh – now form a majority on the Council, despite more than seventy percent of the Swiss citizens speaking German as a first language. Likewise, no current Federal Councillors grew up in an urban area (with the exception of [[Karin Keller-Sutter]], who spent some school years in [[Neuchâtel|Neuchâtel NE]]).

Whenever a member resigns, they are generally replaced by someone who is not only from the same party, but also the same language group. In 2006, however, [[Joseph Deiss]], a [[French language|French-speaker]], resigned and was succeeded by [[Doris Leuthard]], a [[German language|German-speaker]]. In 2016, [[Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf]], a German-speaker, was succeeded by [[Guy Parmelin]], a French-speaker. Most recently, in 2023, German-speaking [[Simonetta Sommaruga|Simmonetta Sommaruga]] was replaced by French-speaking [[Élisabeth Baume-Schneider|Elisabeth Baume-Schneider]]. Historically, at least two Council seats have been held by French- or Italian-speakers. The language makeup of the Council as of 2022 is four German-speakers, two French-speakers and one Italian-speaker. In November 2017, [[Ignazio Cassis]] became the first Italian speaker to serve on the Council since 1999. For [[Swiss Federal Council election|elections to the Federal Council]], candidates are usually helped by a high degree of fluency in German, French, and Italian.

== Operation ==
=== Presidency ===
[[File:Bundeshaus West Vestibül und Vorzimmer.jpg|thumb|The interior of the west wing of the [[Federal Palace]] in Berne, where the Council meetings are held.]]
[[File:Bundesratszimmer.jpg|thumb|Meeting of the Federal Council in 2006]]
Each year, one of the seven Councillors is elected by the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|United Federal Assembly]] as [[President of the Swiss Confederation|President of the Confederation]].<ref name="guide 42">{{cite book |title= The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 2008 |last= Information services of the Federal Chancellery |year= 2008 |page= 42 |url= http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/02480/04712/index.html?lang=en |access-date= 10 March 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090311133035/http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/02480/04712/index.html?lang=en |archive-date= 11 March 2009 |url-status= dead }}</ref> The Federal Assembly also elects a Vice President of Switzerland. By convention, the positions of President and Vice President rotate annually, each Councillor thus becoming Vice President and then President every seven years while in office.

According to the [[Swiss order of precedence]], the President of the Confederation is the highest-ranking Swiss official. They preside over Council meetings and carry out certain representative functions that, in other countries, are the business of a head of state.<ref name="guide 43"/> In urgent situations where a Council decision cannot be made in time, they are empowered to act on behalf of the whole Council. Apart from that, though, they are {{lang|la|[[primus inter pares]]}}, having no power above and beyond the other six Councillors.<ref name="guide 42"/>

The President is not the Swiss head of state; this function is carried out by the Council ''in corpore'', that is, in its entirety. However, in recent practice the President acts and is recognised as head of state while conducting official visits abroad, as the Council (also by convention) does not leave the country ''in corpore''. More often, though, official visits abroad are carried out by the head of the [[Federal Department of Foreign Affairs]]. Visiting heads of state are received by the Federal Council ''in corpore''.

=== Council meetings ===
[[File:Bundesrat (Schweiz) im Sitzungszimmer.jpg|thumb|Before a meeting, 1987]]
The Federal Council operates mainly through weekly meetings, which are held each Wednesday at the [[Federal Palace of Switzerland|Federal Palace]] in [[Bern]],<ref name="guide 43">{{cite book |title= The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 2008 |last= Information services of the Federal Chancellery |year= 2008 |page= 43 |url= http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/02480/04712/index.html?lang=en |access-date= 10 March 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090311133035/http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/02480/04712/index.html?lang=en |archive-date= 11 March 2009 |url-status= dead }}</ref> the seat of the [[Politics of Switzerland|Swiss federal government]].

Apart from the seven Councillors, the following officials also attend the meetings:
*[[Chancellor of Switzerland|Federal Chancellor]]: [[Viktor Rossi]]. As government chief of staff and head of the [[Federal Chancellery of Switzerland|Federal Chancellery]], he participates in the discussion but has no vote in the Council's decisions.<ref name="guide 43"/> Nonetheless, his influential position is often referred to as that of an "eighth Federal Councillor".
* the [[Vice-Chancellor of Switzerland|Vice-Chancellor]]: [[André Simonazzi]]. Simonazzi is the [[Spokesperson|spokesman]] of the Federal Council and conducts the weekly press briefing after the meeting.
* the [[Vice-Chancellor of Switzerland|Vice-Chancellor]]: [[Jörg De Bernardi]] who is in charge of the Federal Council sector within the Swiss Federal Chancellery.

During the meetings, the Councillors address each other formally (e.g. Mrs. Sommaruga, Mr. Berset), even though they are on first name terms with each other. This is done to separate the items on the agenda from the person promoting them.

After the meetings, the Councillors take lunch together. The Council also meets regularly in [[wiktionary:conclave|conclave]] to discuss important topics at length; it annually conducts what is colloquially referred to as its "[[field trip]]", a day trip to some attractions in the President's home canton. In that and other respects, the Council operates like a board of directors of a major corporation.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

=== Decisions and responsibilities ===
Each Federal Councillor heads a government department, much like the ministers in the governments of other countries.<ref name="guide 44">{{cite book |title= The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 2008 |last= Information services of the Federal Chancellery |year= 2008 |pages= 44–45 |url= http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/02480/04712/index.html?lang=en |access-date= 10 March 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090311133035/http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/02480/04712/index.html?lang=en |archive-date= 11 March 2009 |url-status= dead }}</ref> Colloquially and by the press (especially outside Switzerland), they are often referred to as ministers even though no such post formally exists. For example, the head of the [[Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports]] is often called "the Swiss defence minister", even though no such post officially exists. However, as Council members, they are not only responsible for their own department, but also for the business of their colleagues' departments, as well as for the conduct of the government and the federal administration as a whole.

Decisions to be taken by the Council are always prepared by the responsible department.<ref name="guide 43"/> Accordingly, a change in the salaries of federal employees would be proposed to the Council by the head of the [[Federal Department of Finance]], to whose department the Federal Office of Personnel belongs. Before a vote is taken at a Council meeting, though, all proposals are circulated in writing to the heads of departments, who commission the senior career officials of their department – the heads of the Federal Offices – to prepare a written response to offer criticism and suggestions. This is called the ''co-report procedure'' (''Mitberichtsverfahren''/''procédure de co-rapport''), designed to build a wide consensus ahead of a Council meeting.<ref name="guide 46">{{cite book |title= The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 2008 |last= Information services of the Federal Chancellery |year= 2008 |page= 46 |url= http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/02480/04712/index.html?lang=en |access-date= 10 March 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090311133035/http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/02480/04712/index.html?lang=en |archive-date= 11 March 2009 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

To prepare for important decisions, an additional public consultation is sometimes conducted, to which the cantons, the [[Political parties of Switzerland|political parties]] and major interest groups are invited, and in which all members of the public can participate. If a change in a federal [[statute]] is to be proposed to the Federal Assembly, this step is mandated by law. In such cases, the consultation procedure also serves to identify political concerns that could later be the focus of a [[Referendums by country|popular referendum]] to stop passage of the bill at issue.

The decisions themselves are formally taken by [[voice vote]] by a majority of the Councillors present at a meeting. However, the great majority of decisions are arrived at by [[Consensus decision-making|consensus]]; even though lately there is said to be a trend towards more contentious discussions and close votes.{{By whom|date=December 2017}}

=== Secrecy ===
The meetings of the Federal Council and the result of the votes taken are not open to the public, and the records remain sealed for 50 years. This has lately been the subject of some criticism. In particular, the parties at the ends of the [[political spectrum]] argue that this secrecy is contrary to the principle of [[Transparency (humanities)|transparency]]. However, the Council has always maintained that secrecy is necessary to arrive at consensus and to preserve the [[collegiality]] and political independence of the individual Councillors.

=== Constitutional conventions ===
Due to the Federal Council's unique nature as a voluntary [[grand coalition]] of political opponents, its operation is subject to numerous [[Constitutional convention (political custom)|constitutional conventions]]. Most notable is the principle of [[collegiality]]; that is, the Councillors are not supposed to publicly criticise one another, even though they are often political opponents. In effect, they are expected to publicly support all decisions of the Council, even against their own personal opinion or that of their political party.<ref name="guide 43"/> In the eye of many observers, this convention has become rather strained after the 2003 elections (see below).

=== Travels abroad ===
Due to the fact that technically no sole federal councillor but rather the entire council [[Incorporeality|in corpore]] is the Swiss [[head of state]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Protocol Regulations for the Swiss Confederation |url=https://www.eda.admin.ch/dam/eda/en/documents/das-eda/organisation-eda/protokoll-reglement_EN.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320080941/https://www.eda.admin.ch/dam/eda/en/documents/das-eda/organisation-eda/protokoll-reglement_EN.pdf |archive-date=2018-03-20 |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=www.eda.admin.ch}}</ref> Federal Councillors did for a long time not travel abroad in official business. In other countries, Switzerland was nearly exclusively represented by diplomats.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Erst eine Leiche hat die Schweizer Aussenpolitik verändert |date=2019-05-16 |publisher=[[Tages-Anzeiger]] |language=de |trans-title=Only a dead body has changed Swiss foreign policy|url=https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/erst-eine-leiche-hat-die-schweizer-aussenpolitik-veraendert-236686291212}}</ref>

After the [[assassination of John F. Kennedy]], the Federal Councillors convened an urgent meeting, where they discussed sending a Councillor to Kennedy's funeral. Given that the absence of the Swiss government would not be understood by the population, they decided to send [[Friedrich Traugott Wahlen]]. On his travel to the U.S. capital, Wahlen also met with [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[Dean Rusk]] to discuss [[tariff]]s. Despite the opening of Switzerland due to the Kennedy assassination, foreign travels of Federal Councillors were only normalized after the [[dissolution of the USSR]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Das Kennedy-Attentat und der Bundesrat |url=https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/das-kennedy-attentat-und-der-bundesrat-ld.838848?reduced=true |date=2013-11-13 |publisher=[[Neue Zürcher Zeitung]] |language=de |trans-title=The Kennedy Assassination and the Federal Council}}</ref>

== Election and composition ==
{{Main|2023 Swiss Federal Council election}}

The most recent federal council elections were held on 13 December 2023. Federal Council Alain Berset and Federal Chancellor Walter Turnherr had both announced that they would not be seeking reelection. The other Federal Councillors were all reelected, the FDP councillors seats were unsuccessfully attacked by the green party. The following councillors were reelected:

* [[Guy Parmelin]] ([[Swiss People's Party|SVP]]/[[Vaud|VD]]) since 2016, head of the [[Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research]], elected with 215 out of 233 votes cast.
* [[Ignazio Cassis]] ([[The Liberals (Switzerland)|FDP]]/[[Ticino|TI]]) since 2017, head of the [[Federal Department of Foreign Affairs]], elected with 167 out of 239 votes cast.
* [[Viola Amherd]] ([[The Centre (political party)|DM]]/[[Valais|VS]]) since 2019, head of the [[Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport]], elected with 201 out of 228 votes cast. 
* [[Karin Keller-Sutter]] ([[The Liberals (Switzerland)|FDP]]/[[Canton of St. Gallen|SG]]) since 2019, head of the [[Federal Department of Finance]], elected with 176 out of 224 votes cast.
* [[Albert Rösti]] ([[Swiss People's Party|SVP]]/[[Canton of Bern|BE]]) since 2023, head of the [[Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications]], elected with 189 out of 217 votes cast.
* [[Élisabeth Baume-Schneider]] ([[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]]/[[Canton of Jura|JU]]) since 2023, head of the [[Federal Department of Justice and Police]], elected with 151 out of 216 votes cast.

Following the resignation of [[Alain Berset]] as of 31 December 2023, replacement elections were held:
* [[Beat Jans]] ([[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]]/[[Basel-Stadt|BS]]), elected in the third round of voting with 134 out of 245 votes cast.

In addition, [[Viktor Rossi]] ([[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|GLP]]) was newly elected as [[Chancellor of Switzerland|Federal Chancellor]] with 135 out of 245 votes cast in the second round of voting. Additionally Viola Amherd was elected President of the Swiss confederation for the year 2024 and Karin Keller-Sutter was elected Vice president of the Federal Council for the year 2024. Following the elections there was a departmental reshuffle. Élisabeth Baume-Schneider took over the [[Federal Department of Home Affairs]] vacated by Alain Berset and newly elected Beat Jans took over Baume-Schneiders Justice and Police Department.

=== Election mode ===

[[File:Bundesratswahl 2009 - Applaus.jpg|thumb|[[2006 Swiss Federal Council election|2006 election]] of the Federal Council in the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly]]]]
The members of the Federal Council are elected for a term of four years by both chambers of the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly]] sitting together as the United Federal Assembly. Each Federal Council seat is up for (re-)election in the order of seniority, beginning with the Councillor who had the longest term of office. The office holders are then elected individually by [[secret ballot]] by an [[absolute majority]] of the valid votes. Every adult Swiss citizen is eligible (and could even be elected against his own will), but in practice, only members of Parliament or more rarely, members of cantonal governments, are nominated by the political parties and receive a substantial number of votes. The voting is conducted in several rounds, under a form of [[exhaustive ballot]].<ref>[https://fedlex.data.admin.ch/filestore/fedlex.data.admin.ch/eli/cc/2003/510/20211218/fr/pdf-a/fedlex-data-admin-ch-eli-cc-2003-510-20211218-fr-pdf-a-3.pdf Law on the federal parliament], Art. 132 and 133.</ref>
 
* In the two first rounds, any adult Swiss citizen with voting right is eligible.
* At the issue of the second round, eligible for the third round is anybody who has received at least ten votes.
* At the issue of the third and later rounds (if necessary), the candidates with less than ten votes are excluded, or the candidate with the lowest vote count is excluded. No such exclusion takes place when two or more candidates share a lowest vote count at least equalling 10.

After the election is concluded, the winner holds a short speech and accepts or refuses the office of Federal Councillor. The [[oath of office]] is then taken, even then the regular term of office only begins a few weeks later, on 1 January.

Usually, the party which has a seat to fill presents two candidates with mainstream viewpoints to the United Federal Assembly, which then chooses one. This was not so, however, during the [[2003 Swiss Federal Council election|2003 election]], which was the most controversial in recent memory. Until the end of the 19th century, it was informally required of Federal Councillors to be elected to the [[National Council (Switzerland)|National Council]] in their canton of origin every four years to put their popularity to a test. This practice was known under the French term of ''élection de compliment''. The first Councillor who failed to be reelected ([[Ulrich Ochsenbein]]) lost his election to the National Council in 1854.

Once elected, Councillors remain members of their political parties, but hold no leading office with them. In fact, they usually maintain a certain political distance from the party leadership, because under the rules of [[collegiality]], they will often have to publicly promote a Council decision which does not match the political conviction of their party (or of themselves).

=== Resignation ===
Once elected for a four-year-term, Federal Councillors can neither be voted out of office by a [[motion of no confidence]] or they can be [[Impeachment|impeached]]. Reelection is possible for an indefinite number of terms; it has historically been extremely rare for Parliament not to reelect a sitting Councillor. This has only happened four times – to [[Ulrich Ochsenbein]] in 1854, to [[Jean-Jacques Challet-Venel]] in 1872, to [[Ruth Metzler]] in 2003 and to [[Christoph Blocher]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 2008 |last= Information services of the Federal Chancellery |year= 2008 |page= 13 |url= http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/02480/04712/index.html?lang=en |access-date= 10 March 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090311133035/http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/02480/04712/index.html?lang=en |archive-date= 11 March 2009 |url-status= dead }}</ref> In practice, therefore, Councillors serve until they decide to resign and retire to private life, usually after three to five terms of office.

== Status of Federal Councillors ==
=== Councillors' lives ===
[[File:Bundesrat der Schweiz 2008 Teil 1.JPG|thumb|Faces in the Crowd: In keeping with the spirit of Swiss [[direct democracy]], the 2008 official photograph of the Federal Council depicted them as [[Everyman|everymen]].]]
[[File:Secretary Pompeo Holds Press Availability with Swiss Foreign Minister Cassis (47991315853).jpg|thumb|Federal Councillor [[Ignazio Cassis]] speaks in 2019 accompanied by a ''[[Huissier|Bundesweibel]]'']]
Unlike most senior members of government in other countries, the Federal Councillors are not entitled to an [[official residence]]. However, the [[Federal Palace of Switzerland|Federal Palace]] houses living apartments for both the [[Chancellor of Switzerland|Federal Chancellor]] and [[President of the Swiss Confederation|President of the Confederation]]. Mostly, Federal Councillors have chosen to rent apartments or hotel suites in Bern at their own expense. However, they are entitled to use the Federal Council's country estate, [[Landsitz Lohn|Lohn]], for holidays, and this estate is also used to host official guests of the Swiss Confederation.

While Councillors can draw on an [[Swiss Army|Army]] security detail if they need personal protection, in particular during official events, they are often encountered without any escort in the streets, restaurants and tramways of Bern.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 2008 |last= Information services of the Federal Chancellery |year= 2008 |page= 41 |url= http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/02480/04712/index.html?lang=en |access-date= 10 March 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090311133035/http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/02480/04712/index.html?lang=en |archive-date= 11 March 2009 |url-status= dead }}</ref> [[Ueli Maurer]] was known to use the bicycle on most days from his apartment in [[Münsingen]] to the Federal Palace in Bern.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Bundesrat Maurer fährt mit dem Fahrrad zur Arbeit |url=https://www.pilatustoday.ch/diverse-news/bundesrat-maurer-faehrt-mit-dem-fahrrad-zur-arbeit-136809881 |date=2015-06-15 |access-date=2022-12-08 |publisher=Pilatus Today}}</ref> Councillors are also entitled to a personal bailiff ([[Huissier#Switzerland|''huissier'' or ''Bundesweibel'']]) who accompanies them, in a [[Coat of arms of Switzerland|red and white]] ceremonial uniform, to official events.

The spouses of Councillors do not play an official part in the business of government, apart from accompanying the Councillors to official receptions.

=== Councillors' salary ===
Federal councillors receive an annual salary of [[Swiss franc|CHF]] 472,958, plus another CHF 30,000 annually for expenses.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Council |first=The Federal |title=How much does a federal councillor earn? |url=https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/bundesrat/aufgaben-des-bundesrates/von-der-wahl-bis-zum-ruecktritt.html |access-date=2023-07-15 |website=www.admin.ch |language=en}}</ref> The councillors pay tax on this income.<ref name="Sal">[https://www.ch.ch/en/federal-councillors-salaries/ Federal councillors’ salaries and benefits] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402094809/https://www.ch.ch/en/federal-councillors-salaries/|date=2 April 2015}}.</ref>

Former councillors with at least four years of service receive a [[pension]] equivalent to half the salary of Federal Council members in office.<ref name="Sal"/> If a councillor leaves office for health reasons, they may receive this pension even if their length of service was less than three years.<ref name="Sal"/> Councillors who leave their offices after less than four years may also receive a partial pension.<ref name="Sal"/> After leaving office, "former federal councillors frequently pursue some other lucrative activity," but "their earnings, when added to the pension they receive as an ex-federal councillor, may not exceed the salary of a federal councillor in office, otherwise their pension is reduced accordingly."<ref name="Sal"/>

Serving federal councillors "enjoy a certain number of special benefits, from free telephone contracts to a chauffeur-driven car for official business, a courtesy car for personal use or the use of federal planes and helicopters for official business trips. Each member of the Federal Council also has the right to a first-class [[Swiss Federal Railways|SBB]] GA travelcard (also in retirement). They are also given personal security, which is often very discreet."<ref name="Sal"/>
[[File:Bundesrat_der_Schweiz_November_2010.jpg|thumb|First Federal Council with a majority of women (2010).]]

=== Immunity ===
Federal Councillors, like members of parliament, enjoy absolute [[Parliamentary immunity|legal immunity]] for all statements made in their official capacity.<ref>[http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/170_32/a2.html Art. 2] of the Federal Law on the Responsibility of the Confederation and its Members of Authorities and Functionaries</ref>

Prosecution for crimes and misdemeanors that relate to the Councillors' official capacity requires the assent of the immunity commissions of the Federal Assembly. In such cases, Parliament can also suspend the Councillor in office (but not actually remove them).<ref>[http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/170_32/a14.html Art. 14] of the Federal Law on the Responsibility of the Confederation and its Members of Authorities and Functionaries</ref>

According to statements to the media by a Federal Chancellory official,<ref>{{cite news|title=Bisher stets immun: Wegen Albisgüetli-Rede steht die Immunität von Christoph Blocher erneut zur Debatte|author=Jürg Sohm|date=30 May 2006|publisher=[[Der Bund]]|url=http://www.espace.ch/artikel_218035.html|language=de}}</ref> in none of the few cases of accusations against a Federal Councillor has the permission to prosecute ever been granted. Such cases usually involved statements considered offensive by members of the public. However, one unnamed Councillor involved in a traffic accident immediately prior to his date of resignation was reported to have voluntarily waived his immunity, and Councillor [[Elisabeth Kopp]] decided to resign upon facing an inquiry over allegations of secrecy violations.

== List of firsts ==
[[File:Erster Bundesrat.jpg|thumb|The first seven members, elected 1848]]
* 1848: The first seven members elected: [[Ulrich Ochsenbein]], [[Jonas Furrer]], [[Martin J. Munzinger]], [[Henri Druey]], [[Friedrich Frey-Herosé]], [[Wilhelm Matthias Naeff]] and [[Stefano Franscini]].
* 1854: First (of only four so far) sitting Federal Councillor not to be reelected, [[Ulrich Ochsenbein]].
* 1855: The first elected Councillor to refuse the office, [[Johann Jakob Stehlin]].
* 1875: [[Louis Ruchonnet]] wins the election, but refuses the office. In a repeated election, [[Charles Estoppey]] wins, but refuses too. In a third election, [[Numa Droz]] is elected and accepts the office. He still is the youngest person to have ever served on the Federal Council.
* 1891: First Councillor of the [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland]], [[Josef Zemp]].
* 1893: First member whose father was a member of the Council: [[Eugène Ruffy]], son of [[Victor Ruffy]]. In 2007, the second is elected: [[Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf]], the daughter of [[Leon Schlumpf]].
* 1911: First (and only) octogenarian in office, [[Adolf Deucher]] ([[Free Democratic Party of Switzerland|FDP]]).
* 1913: First (and only) native [[Romansh language|Romansh]] speaker, [[Felix Calonder]] (FDP).
* 1917: First (and only) Councillor of the [[Liberal Party of Switzerland|Liberal Party]] elected, [[Gustave Ador]].
* 1917 - 1919: First majority of [[Romance languages|Romance]]-speaking Councillors, making German speakers a minority: Gustave Ador, [[Giuseppe Motta]], [[Camille Decoppet]] and Felix-Louis Calonder. This would happen again more than hundred years later, in 2023.
* 1930: First Councillor of the Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents (BGB/PAI; now the [[Swiss People's Party]]), [[Rudolf Minger]].
* 1943: First Councillor of the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]] (SP), [[Ernst Nobs]].
* 1973: First Councillor of the working class, [[Willi Ritschard]] of the SP. He was trained as a heating engineer; his father was a shoemaker.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Klare Sprache und viel Herz: Willi Ritschard würde 100 Jahre alt |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/alle-news-in-kuerze/klare-sprache-und-viel-herz--willi-ritschard-wuerde-100-jahre-alt/44430092 |access-date=2022-12-11 |website=SWI swissinfo.ch |date=27 September 2018 |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/003077/2010-11-17/ | title=Ritschard, Willi }}</ref>
* 1983: First female candidate for the Council from a government party, [[Lilian Uchtenhagen]] ([[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]]).
* 1984: First woman Councillor, [[Elisabeth Kopp]] (FDP).
* 1993: [[Ruth Dreifuss]] (SP) is elected, the first [[Swiss Jews|Jewish]] Councillor. 
* 1995: First Councillor living in a [[domestic partnership]], [[Moritz Leuenberger]] (SP) (with architect [[Gret Loewensberg]], whom he later married).
* 1999: First woman [[President of the Swiss Confederation|President of the Confederation]], Ruth Dreifuss (SP).
* 2010: First majority of women in the Swiss Federal Council with the election of [[Simonetta Sommaruga]] (SP).
* 2019: After 1900, the overwhelming majority of the Federal Councillors had an academic education. From January 2019 until December 2022, non-academics featured a majority: [[Ueli Maurer]] (salesman/accountant), [[Guy Parmelin]] (high school diploma, farmer), [[Simonetta Sommaruga]] (high school diploma, concert pianist) and [[Karin Keller-Sutter]] (trade school, translator).

==Popularity==
As of August 2022, half of the Swiss population was satisfied with the Federal Council.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.letemps.ch/suisse/confiance-populaire-conseil-federal-baisse | title=La confiance populaire dans le Conseil fédéral baisse | newspaper=Le Temps | date=29 August 2022 }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of members of the Swiss Federal Council]] (by date of election)
* [[List of members of the Swiss Federal Council by date]] (by first day in office)
* [[Composition of the Swiss Federal Council]]
* [[:Category:Members of the Federal Council (Switzerland)]] (alphabetical list)
* [[List of presidents of the Swiss Confederation]]
* [[Hotel Bellevue Palace]]
* [[Government and Administration Organisation Act (Switzerland)]]
* [[Federal act (Switzerland)]]

== Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{HDS|10085|Federal Council}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090218050453/http://www.admin.ch/dokumentation/00104/index.html?lang=en The Swiss Confederation: A brief guide 2006–2009], edited by the Swiss Federal Chancellery.
* [http://www.parlament.ch/SiteCollectionDocuments/f/wa-br-wahlresultate.pdf Resultate der Wahlen des Bundesrats, der Bundeskanzler und des Generals], compiled by the services of the Swiss Parliament.
* Clive H. Church (2004). ''The Politics and Government of Switzerland''. Palgrave Macmillan. {{ISBN|0-333-69277-2}}.
* Altermatt, Urs (1993). ''Conseil Fédéral: Dictionnaire biographique des cent premiers conseillers fédéraux''. Cabédita, Yens. {{ISBN|2-88295-104-3}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Swiss Federal Council}}
{{EB1911 poster|Switzerland/Government}}

* {{Official website|1=https://www.admin.ch}}
* {{HDS|10085|Federal Council}}

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