An election for all seven members of the Federal Council, the government of Switzerland, was held on 14 December 2011, following the federal election on 23 October 2011.[1] Micheline Calmy-Rey announced she would not run for re-election to the council. According to a traditional informal convention, the successor has to come from the French-speaking or Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. The candidates for her post announced by their respective cantonal sections are Alain Berset (Fribourg), Pierre-Yves Maillard (Vaud), Stéphane Rossini (Valais), and Marina Carobbio (Ticino).[2]
Berset and Maillard were favourites. Jean Studer, Liliane Maury Pasquier and Elisabeth Baume-Schneider declined to stand in the election.[2] [3] In the end, the SP decided to nominate Berset and Maillard.[4]
Apart from Calmy-Rey's successor, the controversial aspects of the election included, whether the SVP would hold their seat or gain another, which they had lost after one of their incumbents defected to the BDP; and whether the CVP or the FDP would gain the second seat held by the FDP, which both lay claim to.
The SVP's possible candidates are Heinz Tännler (Zug), Bruno Zuppiger (Zürich), Jakob Stark (Thurgau), Guy Parmelin (Vaud) and Hannes Germann (Schaffhausen). Jean-François Rime (Fribourg) was unofficially nominated, as well.[5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] Rime and Zuppiger were nominated as the SVP's candidates; after a scandal involving Zuppiger's professional activities emerged very shortly after the nomination meeting, Hansjörg Walter (Thurgau) was nominated in his stead.[11] [12]
The following candidates participated in the election:
(Micheline Calmy-Rey (SPS), from Geneva, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs decided not to seek re-election)
Results:[13]
Doris Leuthard was re-elected during the first ballot. Her re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups.
| Round 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Doris Leuthard | 216 | |
| Votes received by other persons | 11 | |
| Votes cast | 245 | |
| Invalid votes | 1 | |
| Blank votes | 17 | |
| Valid votes | 227 | |
| Absolute majority | 114 |
Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf was re-elected during the first ballot. Her re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups except that of the SVP and part of the FDP.
| Round 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf | 131 | |
| Hansjörg Walter | 63 | |
| Jean-François Rime | 41 | |
| Votes received by other persons | 4 | |
| Votes cast | 245 | |
| Invalid votes | 1 | |
| Blank votes | 5 | |
| Valid votes | 239 | |
| Absolute majority | 120 |
Ueli Maurer was re-elected during the first ballot. His re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups except the GPS
| Round 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ueli Maurer | 159 | |
| Hansjörg Walter | 41 | |
| Luc Recordon | 13 | |
| Votes received by other persons | 13 | |
| Votes cast | 245 | |
| Invalid votes | 3 | |
| Blank votes | 16 | |
| Valid votes | 226 | |
| Absolute majority | 114 |
Didier Burkhalter was re-elected during the first ballot. His re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups.
| Round 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Didier Burkhalter | 194 | |
| Jean-François Rime | 24 | |
| Votes received by other persons | 14 | |
| Votes cast | 245 | |
| Invalid votes | 1 | |
| Blank votes | 12 | |
| Valid votes | 232 | |
| Absolute majority | 117 |
Simonetta Sommaruga was re-elected during the first ballot. Her re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups except that of SVP
| Round 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Simonetta Sommaruga | 179 | |
| Jean-François Rime | 61 | |
| Votes received by other persons | 2 | |
| Votes cast | 245 | |
| Invalid votes | 0 | |
| Blank votes | 3 | |
| Valid votes | 242 | |
| Absolute majority | 122 |
Johann Schneider-Ammann was re-elected during the first ballot. His re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups except that of SVP
| Round 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Johann Schneider-Ammann | 159 | |
| Jean-François Rime | 64 | |
| Votes received by other persons | 11 | |
| Votes cast | 245 | |
| Invalid votes | 2 | |
| Blank votes | 9 | |
| Valid votes | 234 | |
| Absolute majority | 118 |
A vacant seat was to be filled following the retirement of Micheline Calmy-Rey (SPS).
Alain Berset (SPS) was elected in the second round. His election was supported by all parliamentary groups except the SVP's.
| Round 1 | Round 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Alain Berset | 114 | 126 | |
| Pierre-Yves Maillard | 59 | 63 | |
| Jean-François Rime | 59 | 54 | |
| Marina Carobbio | 10 | ||
| Votes received by other persons | 1 | 2 | |
| Votes cast | 243 | 245 | |
| Invalid votes | 0 | 0 | |
| Blank votes | 0 | 0 | |
| Valid votes | 243 | 245 | |
| Absolute majority | 122 | 123 |