2011 Swiss Federal Council election

Election for the Swiss Federal Council 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.https://www.angelfire.com/ma/maxcrc/elections.html Electoral Calendar -worldwide elections 19 June 2015 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).http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/schweiz/das_sp-kandidatenquartett_steht_1.13176587.html Die Kantonalparteien melden vier Kandidaturen an: Das SP-Kandidatenquartett steht 31 October 2011 Neue Zürcher Zeitung 19 June 2015 Berset and Maillard were favourites. Jean Studer, Liliane Maury Pasquier and Elisabeth Baume-Schneider declined to stand in the election.http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/schweiz/neuenburger_regierungsrat_studer_will_calmy-rey_nicht_beerben_1.13126006.html Neuenburger Regierungsrat Studer will Calmy-Rey nicht beerben 26 October 2011 Neue Zürcher Zeitung 19 June 2015 In the end, the SP decided to nominate Berset and Maillard.http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/schweiz/selbstbewusste_genossen_1.13421470.html Kommentar vom NZZ Inlandchef René Zeller zum Bundesrats-Zweierticket der SP: Selbstbewusste Genossen 25 November 2011 Neue Zürcher Zeitung 19 June 2015 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.http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/schweiz/bruno_zuppiger_praesentiert_sich_als_kandidat_zur_wiederherstellung_der_konkordanz_1.13446045.html Bruno Zuppiger präsentiert sich als Kandidat zur Wiederherstellung der Konkordanz: Von seiner Partei getragen 28 November 2011 Neue Zürcher Zeitung 19 June 2015http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/schweiz/bundesratswahlen_guy_parmelin_1.13348513.html Einstimmiges Votum der Waadtländer SVP für Kandidatur des Nationalrats: Auch Guy Parmelin will in den Bundesrat 18 November 2011 Neue Zürcher Zeitung 19 June 2015http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/schweiz/ein_konsenspolitiker_steigt_fuer_die_svp_in_den_ring_1.13414856.html Thurgauer Regierungsrat Jakob Stark tritt zu den Bundesratswahlen an: Ein Konsenspolitiker steigt für die SVP in den Ring 25 November 2011 Neue Zürcher Zeitung 19 June 2015http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/schweiz/auch_in_der_welschen_svp_heissts_hie_freiburg_hie_waadt_1.13448442.html Die Nationalräte Jean-François Rime und Guy Parmelin kommen als Bundesratskandidaten in Frage: Auch in der welschen SVP heisst's "hie Freiburg, hie Waadt" 28 November 2011 Neue Zürcher Zeitung 19 June 2015http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/schweiz/bundesratswahlen_zuppiger_und_taennler_1.13460622.html Zwei weitere SVP-Kandidaten für die Bundesratswahlen – Fraktionsentscheid am Donnerstag: Zuppiger und Tännler vorgeschlagen 29 November 2011 Neue Zürcher Zeitung 19 June 2015https://www.suedostschweiz.ch/politik/sechs-svp-politiker-mochten-auf-das-bundesrats-ticket Sechs SVP-Politiker mц╤chten auf das Bundesrats-Ticket | Sц╪dostschweiz Suedostschweiz.ch 2011-11-30 2015-07-03 de 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.http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/schweiz/schweiz_svp_zuppiger_bruno_kandidat_bundesrat_weltwoche_artikel_1.13561941.html Die Demontage des SVP-Bundesratskandidaten als Etappe Richtung Opposition: Zuppigers Fall 8 December 2011 Neue Zürcher Zeitung 19 June 2015http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/schweiz/der_lueckenbuesser_1.13567355.html Der Lückenbüsser 9 December 2011 Neue Zürcher Zeitung 19 June 2015 Candidates The following candidates participated in the election: Incumbents, in descending order of seniority: Doris Leuthard (CVP), from Aargau, head of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications, Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf (BDP), from Grisons, head of the Federal Department of Finance, Ueli Maurer (SVP), from Zurich, head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports, Didier Burkhalter (FDP), from Neuchâtel, head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs, Simonetta Sommaruga (SPS), from Bern, head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police, Johann Schneider-Ammann (FDP), from Bern, head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, (Micheline Calmy-Rey (SPS), from Geneva, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs decided not to seek re-election) Other candidates nominated by their party: Alain Berset (SPS), from Fribourg, a member of the Council of States, was nominated by his party to contest the election of the former Micheline Calmy-Rey's seat. Jean-François Rime (SVP), from Fribourg, a member of the National Council, was nominated by his party to contest the election of Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf's, Simonetta Sommaruga's, Johann Schneider-Ammann's and the former Micheline Calmy-Rey's seats. Hansjörg Walter (SVP), from Thurgau, a member of the National Council, was nominated by his party to contest the election of Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf's seat. Pierre-Yves Maillard (SPS), from Vaud, a member of the Council of State of Vaud, was nominated by his party to contest the election of the former Micheline Calmy-Rey's seat. Other candidates receiving at least 10 votes: Luc Recordon (GPS), from Vaud, a member of the Council of States Marina Carobbio (SPS), from Ticino, a member of the National Council Results Results:http://www.parlament.ch/e/wahlen-abstimmungen/wahlen-im-parlament/bundesratswahlen/erneuerungswahl-2011/pages/default.aspx https://web.archive.org/web/20111205151619/http://www.parlament.ch/e/wahlen-abstimmungen/wahlen-im-parlament/bundesratswahlen/erneuerungswahl-2011/pages/default.aspx dead 5 December 2011 Renouvellement intégral 19 June 2015 Seat held by Doris Leuthard 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 Seat held by Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf 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 Seat held by Ueli Maurer 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 Seat held by Didier Burkhalter 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 Seat held by Simonetta Sommaruga 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 Seat held by Johann Schneider-Ammann 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 Vacant seat 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 References Politics Switzerland Federal Council 2011