Politics · Switzerland · 1 day ago
Aeschi backs at least two candidates for Parmelin’s successor
Thomas Aeschi, head of the Swiss People’s Party’s parliamentary group, says he will support a list of at least two candidates to succeed Federal Council member Guy Parmelin.
The Federal Council is Switzerland’s national executive, and the successor will be chosen by the federal parliament on December 9.
The SVP’s parliamentary group will decide the size of its candidate list and its nominees at a meeting on November 20.
No one has officially declared a candidacy so far, and Aeschi has not said whether he will run.
He says candidates should have strong subject knowledge, leadership and decision-making skills, and the party should take language-region representation into account.
The SVP is paying particular attention to candidates who could lead the justice or defence departments, though Aeschi says the party is open to any department.
SVP parliamentary group leader Thomas Aeschi said he would support presenting at least two candidates to succeed Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin.
Aeschi did not directly say whether the candidate list should include at least one woman, but said the Federal Council needs both women and men.
He said language regions should be represented appropriately and cited expertise, leadership, assertiveness and the «Gmögigkeitsfaktor» as selection criteria.
The SVP is paying particular attention to candidates’ ability to lead the Justice or Defence departments, where the party considers a vacancy most likely.
The SVP parliamentary group is due to decide the list’s size and nominees on 20 November; the parliamentary election is scheduled for 9 December, and no official candidates have yet been announced.
- Who
- Thomas Aeschi, SVP parliamentary group leader
- What
- He said he would support a candidate list of at least two people to succeed Guy Parmelin.
- When
- The SVP parliamentary group is due to decide on nominations on 20 November; the election is scheduled for 9 December 2026.
- Where
- Switzerland
- Why
- To select a successor to Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Es ist klar, dass es Frauen und Männer im Bundesrat braucht.
Selbstverständlich ist die SVP offen für jedes Departement, wir stellen auch keinen Anspruch
Aeschi said he would support a candidate list of at least two people and said no official candidacies had been announced.
The SVP parliamentary group is scheduled to decide the size of the candidate list and its nominees.
The Swiss parliament is scheduled to elect Parmelin’s successor.
- Party
- Swiss People's Party (SVP)
- SVP parliamentary group leader
- Thomas Aeschi
- Outgoing Federal Councillor
- Guy Parmelin
- Candidate list
- At least two candidates
- Nomination decision
- 20 November 2026
- Election
- 9 December 2026
Sources
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