Federal Council election 2010

Elected: Simonetta Sommaruga and Johann Schneider-Ammann

Resigned: Moritz Leuenberger and Hans-Rudolf Merz

In the Swiss Federal Council elections 2010 , the United Federal Assembly elected Simonetta Sommaruga ( SP ) in two substitute elections in the fourth and Johann Schneider-Ammann ( FDP.The Liberals ) in the fifth ballot as new members of the Swiss Federal Council . They took over the seats of the resigning Federal Councilors Moritz Leuenberger (SP) and Hans-Rudolf Merz (FDP).

With Sommaruga's election, there were for the first time more women than men in the Swiss Federal Council. After Finland , Switzerland is the second European state to have this constellation within the government.

Starting position

Moritz Leuenberger was elected in 1995 to succeed Otto Stich (SP). Since then he has headed the Federal Department for the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC). He served as Federal President twice, in 2001 and 2006 . On July 9, 2010, Leuenberger announced his resignation for the end of 2010.

Hans-Rudolf Merz, who has been Head of the Federal Department of Finance since his election in 2003 , announced his resignation on August 6, 2010, with effect from October 2010.

In this constellation, the Federal Constitution and the Parliament Act would have required two different dates for the replacement elections. In order to enable the election on a single date, Leuenberger announced after strong public pressure - also from his own party - his resignation date on August 9, 2010, without giving an exact date. The successor of the senior Leuenberger is elected before that Merz '.

On August 18, Leuenberger specified his retirement date to October 31, 2010. On September 28, 2010, Merz announced October 28, 2010 as the date of his resignation to the public.

Candidates

Simonetta Sommaruga ( BE ), Hildegard Fässler ( SG ), Eva Herzog ( BS ) and Jacqueline Fehr ( ZH ) have been nominated by their respective cantonal parties to succeed Leuenberger . On September 3, 2010, the parliamentary group finally nominated Simonetta Sommaruga and Jacqueline Fehr as official candidates.

Peter Malama ( BS ), Ruedi Noser ( ZH ), Karin Keller-Sutter ( SG ), Johann Schneider-Ammann ( BE ) and Ignazio Cassis ( TI ) have been nominated by their respective cantonal parties to succeed Merz . The parliamentary group finally nominated Karin Keller-Sutter and Johann Schneider-Ammann as official candidates on September 3, 2010.

The Swiss People's Party has announced that it will claim one of the two seats. On September 3, 2010, the parliamentary group nominated National Councilor Jean-François Rime ( FR ) as a candidate.

The Greens also sent a candidate into the race. The national councilors Geri Müller , Brigit Wyss and Marlies Bänziger were in discussion . On September 3, 2010, the parliamentary group finally nominated Brigit Wyss as the official candidate.

The CVP, on the other hand, decided not to nominate a candidate.

The vote

Successor to Moritz Leuenberger

Candidates		1st ballot	2nd ballot	3rd ballot	4th ballot
	Simonetta Sommaruga	86	96	98	159
	Jean-François Rime	80	78	77	81
	Jacqueline Fehr	61	64	70	-
	Hildegard Fässler	10	0	-	-
Other		7th	7th	-	-
Ballot papers received		245	245	245	245
Invalid ballot paper		1	0	0	2
Blank ballot paper		0	0	0	3
Valid ballot papers		244	245	245	240
Absolute more		123	123	123	121

Successor to Hans-Rudolf Merz

Candidates		1st ballot	2nd ballot	3rd ballot	4th ballot	5th ballot
	Johann Schneider-Ammann	52	75	78	84	144
	Jean-François Rime	72	72	72	76	93
	Karin Keller-Sutter	44	55	66	74	-
	Brigit Wyss	57	40	28	-	-
	Ignazio Cassis	12	0	-	-	-
Other		7th	3	-	-	-
Ballot papers received		245	245	245	243	245
Invalid ballot paper		0	0	1	5	2
Blank ballot paper		1	0	0	4th	6th
Valid ballot papers		244	245	244	234	237
Absolute more		123	123	123	118	119