President of the Swiss Confederation

The President of the Swiss Confederation (French Président de la Confédération, Italian Presidente della Confederazione, Romansh President da la Confederaziun ) is the one in the Bundesrat, which leads as primus inter pares preside at the meetings of the Swiss government, the Federal Council. His deputy is the Vice President of the Bundesrat.

As of December 4, 2013 Didier Burkhalter was elected with 183 of 202 valid votes cast for 2014 for the President.

Competencies

Unlike the President in the neighboring countries Austria and Germany, the Swiss Federal President is not a head of state. The Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation has neither a head of state nor a head of government. All these functions are performed by the entire Federal Council as a college.

In the capacity as Chairman of the Federal Council, the vote of the President event of a tie is considered decisive ( casting vote ).

In addition to directing his department ( ministry) takes over the President only a few representative functions of a head of state. At first this was just inland of the case: The President holds the radio and television speeches at New Year and the Swiss National Day on August 1, he gives the Diplomatic Corps to the traditional New Year reception at the House of Parliament, where he and the respective Apostolic Nuncio in Switzerland hold small talks. In a time of increased international contacts, the President also travels frequently abroad.

However, Switzerland has no head of state, cultivates the land itself does not pay state visits. When the President goes abroad, he does so only as the responsible department head. However, if a head of state of another country an official visit is paid, this usually does the President; the same applies to performances on the side of several heads of state of other countries, such as in the UN General Assembly.

Choice

The Federal President is elected in the winter session beginning December each year by the United Federal Assembly for one year from among the federal councils. The term of office of the Federal President is from January 1 to December 31 of each calendar year.

In the 19th century, the election to the presidency was an award for especially estimated federal councils. Less influential members of the government were, however, ignored regularly. Such was the St. Galler Wilhelm Matthias Naeff, who was for 27 years the Swiss government, only once ( 1853) President.

Since the 20th century, the choice is usually uncontested. It is the unwritten rule that one Federal President is, who has been in office for the longest time already no longer ( or not yet). So everyone Bundesrat comes in seven years in office at least once for the course. Only for voltage in the choice makes one question how many votes in the Federal Assembly of the achieved Choosing to what is seen as a popularity test. Here were in the 1970s and 1980s 200 votes (of 246 possible ) as an excellent result. In an era of growing political party conflicts are present, however, already 180 votes, a respectable result.

Until 1920 it was - with interruptions - common for the respective President took over the Foreign Ministry. So it came every year to at least smaller castling, when the outgoing President returned to his old department and the new moved to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Also, it was the custom that the President - even as foreign minister - during his year in office to Switzerland did not leave.

Is elected annually also the Vice President of the Bundesrat. This is the representative of the Federal President and is usually chosen in the following year to the presidency.