2007 Swiss Federal Council election

Swiss government election 2007 Swiss Federal Council election Switzerland parliamentary no 2006 Swiss Federal Council election 2006 2008 Swiss Federal Council election 2008 12 December 2007 All 7 seats to the Swiss Federal Council 100px Pascal Couchepin Free Democratic Party of Switzerland ±0 100px Moritz Leuenberger Social Democratic Party of Switzerland ±0 100px Samuel Schmid Swiss People's Party ±0Christoph Blocher (SVP/UDC) was not re-elected by the Federal Assembly and instead elected Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf from the same party. 100px Doris Leuthard Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland ±0 President Micheline Calmy-Rey Pascal Couchepin Social Democratic Party of Switzerland Free Democratic Party of Switzerland 2 2 2 1 On December 12, 2007, all seven members of the Swiss Federal Council stood for re-election before the United Federal Assembly for the 2008–2012 term of office. Six were re-elected; Christoph Blocher of the Swiss People's Party (SVP) was not. The Federal Assembly elected Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf in Blocher's place, who accepted her election on the following morning. Pascal Couchepin was elected President of the Swiss Confederation for 2008, and Hans-Rudolf Merz, instead of Blocher, was elected vice president of the Federal Council for 2008. As a result of the defeat of their official candidate, Christoph Blocher, the Swiss People's Party declared itself an opposition party and excluded its nominal representatives on the Federal Council, Samuel Schmid and Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, from its parliamentary group.December 13, 2007 Widmer-Schlumpf accepts cabinet post Swissinfo http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/Widmer_Schlumpf_accepts_cabinet_post.html?siteSect=105&sid=8526077 December 13, 2007 December 26, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20071226133930/http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/Widmer_Schlumpf_accepts_cabinet_post.html?siteSect=105&sid=8526077 dead Background In the 2007 Swiss federal elections, the SVP expanded their share of votes again, mostly at the expense of the Social Democrats (SPS). Christoph Blocher, the de facto leader of the SVP, had become embroiled in a political scandal over the circumstances of the resignation of federal chief prosecutor Valentin Roschacher in 2006. However, a parliamentary oversight commission controlled by his political opponents failed to implicate him in any substantial wrongdoing. Under these circumstances, it was generally assumed that any attempt by the center-left parties in Parliament to unseat him must fail,Blochers Sturz NZZ am Sonntag 16 December 2007 Heidi Gmür Markus Häfliger Pascal Hollenstein http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/blochers_sturz_1.599764.html even though Blocher had made many personal opponents with his confrontational political style. Nonetheless, according to a reconstruction of events by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, the Social Democrats began to plan Blocher's removal from office immediately after the elections, but obtained no clear commitment from the centrist Christian Democrats (CVP). To provoke these parties into action, the Green Party of Switzerland nominated Luc Recordon as their own candidate to run against BlocherGrüne Fraktion will gegen Blocher antreten (Schweiz, NZZ Online) The GPS had previously tried to obtain a seat in 1987 and 1991, when they nominated Leni Robert against the SVP's Adolf Ogi, and in 2000, when they nominated Cécile Bühlmann for Ogi's seat when he retired.Die Grünen wollen in den Bundesrat (Schweiz, NZZ Online) Four days before the election, the Social Democrats contacted Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf to inform her that she would probably receive a substantial number of votes. Widmer-Schlumpf reportedly did not state whether she would accept or decline her possible election. At the same time, the Christian Democratic party chief, Christophe Darbellay, publicly indicated his opposition to Blocher and hinted that he would accept if elected in his stead. On the eve of the elections, the leaders of the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Christian Democrats secretly agreed to support Widmer-Schlumpf, after a test ballot in the Christian Democratic parliamentary group indicated that a majority of the group did not support Blocher. During the night, the Greens withdrew Recordon's candidacy and the center-left party leaders sought out support among individual representatives of the Free Democrats (FDP). All the while, Widmer-Schlumpf's name was kept secret to prevent her party from exerting pressure on her and to prevent her from appearing as a candidate of the Left. Only immediately before the elections were most center-left members of parliament asked by their leadership to support Widmer-Schlumpf. Candidates The following candidates participated in the election: Incumbents, in descending order of seniority: Moritz Leuenberger (SPS), head of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications, Pascal Couchepin (FDP), head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs, Samuel Schmid (SVP), head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports, Micheline Calmy-Rey (SPS), head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Christoph Blocher (SVP), head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police, Hans-Rudolf Merz (FDP), head of the Federal Department of Finance, Doris Leuthard (CVP), head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs. Other candidates: Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf (SVP), a member of the government of the canton of Graubünden. She was proposed by center-left parties as an alternative candidate for the seat of Christoph Blocher, although it remains uncertain whether or not this happened with her consent. Results section Source needed for detailed ballot figures November 2016 Source showing only the final votes in favor of each winner: Seat held by Moritz Leuenberger Moritz Leuenberger was re-elected during the first ballot. His re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups except that of the SVP. Round 1 Moritz Leuenberger 157 Votes received by other persons 21 Votes cast 246 Invalid votes 4 Blank votes 64 Valid votes 178 Absolute majority 90 Seat held by Pascal Couchepin Pascal Couchepin was re-elected during the first ballot. His re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups. Round 1 Pascal Couchepin 205 Votes received by other persons 26 Votes cast 246 Invalid votes 2 Blank votes 13 Valid votes 231 Absolute majority 116 Seat held by Samuel Schmid Samuel Schmid was re-elected during the first ballot. His re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups. Round 1 Samuel Schmid 201 Votes received by other persons 18 Votes cast 244 Invalid votes 4 Blank votes 21 Valid votes 219 Absolute majority 110 Seat held by Micheline Calmy-Rey Micheline Calmy-Rey was re-elected during the first ballot. Her re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups except that of the SVP. Round 1 Micheline Calmy-Rey 153 Votes received by other persons 27 Votes cast 246 Invalid votes 1 Blank votes 65 Valid votes 180 Absolute majority 91 Seat held by Christoph Blocher Christoph Blocher's seat was the only contested seat, and this contest was the focus of the public attention directed at the elections. His re-election was officially supported only by the SVP and FDP parliamentary groups. The SVP threatened to withdraw from the government in the case of Blocher not being re-elected. Prior to the election, the Green group proposed a candidate of their own, State councillor Luc Recordon, to contest Blocher's seat. Recordon's candidacy was withdrawn after left and centrist parties proposed to elect Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, a centrist SVP executive councillor from the canton of Graubünden, in Blocher's stead. Widmer-Schlumpf was elected with 125 votes in the second round. A SVP motion of order to interrupt the election until afternoon was rejected with 155 votes against.Blocher ousted by Swiss parliament December 12, 2007 Swissinfo http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/Blocher_ousted_by_Swiss_parliament.html?siteSect=105&sid=8522133 December 12, 2007 December 26, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20071226133925/http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/Blocher_ousted_by_Swiss_parliament.html?siteSect=105&sid=8522133 dead Widmer-Schlumpf declared on 13 December, 8 a.m., that she would accept her election. Round 1 Round 2 Christoph Blocher 111 115 Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf 116 125 Votes received by other persons 11 2 Votes cast 246 246 Invalid votes 2 0 Blank votes 6 4 Valid votes 238 242 Absolute majority 120 122 Seat held by Hans-Rudolf Merz Hans-Rudolf Merz was re-elected during the first ballot. His re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups. Round 1 Hans-Rudolf Merz 213 Votes received by other persons 20 Votes cast 244 Invalid votes 3 Blank votes 8 Valid votes 233 Absolute majority 117 Seat held by Doris Leuthard Doris Leuthard was re-elected during the first ballot. Her re-election was supported by all parliamentary groups except that of the SVP. Round 1 Doris Leuthard 160 Christoph Blocher 12 Votes received by other persons 19 Votes cast 244 Invalid votes 4 Blank votes 49 Valid votes 191 Absolute majority 96 Federal Chancellor Annemarie Huber-Hotz, the chancellor between 2000 and 2007, did not seek re-election. Three candidates were presented by the parties: Corina Casanova (CVP/PDC), vice-chancellor between 2000 and 2007, Nathalie Falcone-Goumaz (SVP/UDC) and Markus Seiler (FDP/PRD). Corina Casanova was elected in the first round of voting.Swiss Parliamentary record, Bundeskanzlei: Wahl; Chancellerie fédérale: Election, 12 December 2007 Round 1 Corina Casanova 124 Nathalie Falcone-Goumaz 64 Markus Seiler 52 Votes received by other persons 4 Votes cast 246 Invalid votes 0 Blank votes 2 Valid votes 244 Absolute majority 123 See also List of members of the Swiss Federal Council 2007 Swiss federal election References 2 External links Election website of the Swiss Federal AssemblyApril 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes Politics Switzerland Federal Council 2007 Category:December 2007 elections Category:December 2007 in Europe