Politics · Switzerland · 1 day ago
Esther Friedli rules herself out of race to succeed Guy Parmelin
Esther Friedli, a senator from the canton of St. Gallen, will not run for a seat in Switzerland’s Federal Council.
The 49-year-old belongs to the Swiss People’s Party, known as the SVP.
The seat is expected to become vacant when SVP member Guy Parmelin leaves the government.
Friedli said she wants to focus on her work in the Senate, where she represents St. Gallen.
She said she plans to seek re-election next year and continue working for the canton.
Friedli had been considered one of the leading possible candidates to replace Parmelin.
Other names still being discussed include SVP politicians Céline Amaudruz and Natalie Rickli.
Esther Friedli, a Swiss People’s Party member of the Council of States from St. Gallen, will not run for the Federal Council seat being vacated by Guy Parmelin.
Friedli said she wants to focus on her current role and continue representing the canton of St. Gallen.
The 49-year-old said she could not imagine giving up her Council of States seat after three and a half years.
She plans to seek re-election to the Council of States next year.
After Friedli’s decision, possible successors mentioned in the reports include Céline Amaudruz of Geneva and Natalie Rickli of Zurich.
- Who
- Esther Friedli, a Swiss People’s Party member of the Council of States from St. Gallen.
- What
- She declined to run for the Federal Council seat being vacated by Guy Parmelin.
- When
- Friday evening, 9 October 2026.
- Where
- At the Olma in St. Gallen, where she spoke to Toggenburg24.
- Why
- She wants to focus on her Council of States role and seek re-election to represent St. Gallen.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Meine Zukunft liegt im Ständerat
Ich würde mich freuen, wenn ich nochmals gewählt werde und ich mich dann weiterhin mit all meiner Kraft und Vehemenz für St. Gallen einsetzen darf
Doch ich kann mir nicht vorstellen, die Arbeit als Ständerätin bereits nach dreieinhalb Jahren wieder abzugeben
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Age
- 49
- Current office
- Member of the Council of States for St. Gallen
- Seat she declined to seek
- The Federal Council seat being vacated by Guy Parmelin
- Re-election plans
- Friedli plans to seek re-election to the Council of States next year
- Other possible successors mentioned
- Céline Amaudruz and Natalie Rickli
Sources
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