List of Federal Chancellors of Switzerland
Encyclopedia
The Federal Chancellor is the head of the Federal Chancellery
of Switzerland
, which acts as the general staff of the seven-member Federal Council
. The Swiss Chancellor is not a member of the government, and his or her position is not comparable to that of the Chancellor of Germany or Austria
.
The Federal Chancellor is elected for a four-year term by the Federal Assembly, assembled together as the United Federal Assembly, at the same time as they elect the Federal Council. The current Chancellor, Corina Casanova
, a member of the Christian Democratic People's Party
from Graubünden
, was elected on 12 December 2007 to begin her term on 1 January 2008.
role, the position is a political appointment made by a vote of both houses of the Federal Assembly, sitting together as the United Federal Assembly, for a term of four years.
One or two Vice-Chancellors (before 1852 this position was called the State Secretary of the Confederation) are also appointed; in contrast to the chancellor, their appointment is made directly by the Federal Council.
Federal Chancellery of Switzerland
The Federal Chancellery of Switzerland is a department-level agency of the federal administration of Switzerland. It is the staff organisation of the federal government, the Swiss Federal Council...
of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, which acts as the general staff of the seven-member Federal Council
Swiss Federal Council
The Federal Council is the seven-member executive council which constitutes the federal government of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss collective head of state....
. The Swiss Chancellor is not a member of the government, and his or her position is not comparable to that of the Chancellor of Germany or Austria
Chancellor of Austria
The Federal Chancellor is the head of government in Austria. Its deputy is the Vice-Chancellor. Before 1918, the equivalent office was the Minister-President of Austria. The Federal Chancellor is considered to be the most powerful political position in Austrian politics.-Appointment:The...
.
The Federal Chancellor is elected for a four-year term by the Federal Assembly, assembled together as the United Federal Assembly, at the same time as they elect the Federal Council. The current Chancellor, Corina Casanova
Corina Casanova
Corina Casanova is the Federal Chancellor of Switzerland.Born 1956 in Ilanz, Graubünden, Casanova worked as a lawyer in the practice of the former President of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court, Giusep Nay, as well as a Red Cross delegate in South Africa, Angola, Nicaragua and El Salvador...
, a member of the Christian Democratic People's Party
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
from Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
, was elected on 12 December 2007 to begin her term on 1 January 2008.
Appointment mechanism
Although the chancellor only has a technocraticTechnocracy (bureaucratic)
Technocracy is a form of government where technical experts are in control of decision making in their respective fields. Economists, engineers, scientists, health professionals, and those who have knowledge, expertise or skills would compose the governing body...
role, the position is a political appointment made by a vote of both houses of the Federal Assembly, sitting together as the United Federal Assembly, for a term of four years.
One or two Vice-Chancellors (before 1852 this position was called the State Secretary of the Confederation) are also appointed; in contrast to the chancellor, their appointment is made directly by the Federal Council.
The chancellor's role
The chancellor attends meetings of the Federal Council (although he or she does not have a vote), and prepares the Federal Council's reports to the Federal Assembly on its policy and activities. Nonetheless, his or her influential position is often referred to as that of an 'eighth Federal Councillor'. The chancellery is also responsible for the publication of all federal laws.List of Federal Chancellors
| # | From-To | Name | Born-Died | Party | Canton Cantons of Switzerland The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848... |
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| 1 | 1803–1830 | Jean Marc Samuel Isaac Mousson |  |
1776–1861 | Vaud Vaud Vaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the French-speaking southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne. The name of the Canton in Switzerland's other languages are Vaud in Italian , Waadt in German , and Vad in Romansh.-History:Along the lakes,... |
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| 2 | 1830–1847 | Karl Nikolaus von Flüe AmRhyn |  |
1800–1849 | Lucerne Canton of Lucerne Lucerne is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population of the canton is . , the population included 57,268 foreigners, or about 15.8% of the total population. The cantonal capital is Lucerne.-History:... |
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| 3 | 1848–1881 | Johann Ulrich Schiess |  |
1813–1883 | Appenzell Ausserrhoden Appenzell Ausserrhoden Appenzell Ausserrhoden is a canton of Switzerland. The seat of the government and parliament is Herisau, judicial authorities are in Trogen. Appenzell Ausserrhoden is located in the north east of Switzerland, bordering the cantons of St... |
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| 4 | 1882–1909 | Gottlieb Ringier |  |
1837–1929 | Aargau Aargau Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:... |
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| 5 | 1910–1918 | Hans Schatzmann |  |
1848–1923 | Free Democratic Party Free Democratic Party of Switzerland The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009.... |
Aargau Aargau Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:... |
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| 6 | 1919–1925 | Adolf von Steiger |  |
1859–1925 | Free Democratic Party Free Democratic Party of Switzerland The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009.... |
Bern | |
| 7 | 1925–1934 | Robert Käslin |  |
1871–1934 | Free Democratic Party Free Democratic Party of Switzerland The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009.... |
Nidwalden Nidwalden Nidwalden is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 40,287 of which 4,046 are foreigners. The capital is Stans.-History:... |
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| 8 | 1934–1943 | George Bovet |  |
1874–1946 | Free Democratic Party Free Democratic Party of Switzerland The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009.... |
Neuchâtel Canton of Neuchâtel Neuchâtel is a canton of French speaking western Switzerland. In 2007, its population was 169,782 of which 39,654 were foreigners. The capital is Neuchâtel.-History:... |
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| 9 | 1944–1951 | Oskar Leimgruber |  |
1886–1976 | Christian Democratic People's Party Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss... |
Fribourg Canton of Fribourg The Canton of Fribourg is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the west of the country. The capital of the canton is Fribourg. The name Fribourg is French, whereas is the German name for both the canton and the town.-History:... |
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| 10 | 1951–1967 | Charles Oser |  |
1902–1994 | Free Democratic Party Free Democratic Party of Switzerland The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009.... |
Basel-City Basel-City Basel-Stadt is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The city of Basel and the municipalities of Bettingen and Riehen form its territory.-History:... |
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| 11 | 1968–1981 | Karl Huber |  |
1915–2002 | Christian Democratic People's Party Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss... |
St. Gallen Canton of St. Gallen The Canton of St. Gallen is a canton of Switzerland. St. Gallen is located in the north east of Switzerland. It covers an area of 2,026 km², and has a population of . , the population included 97,461 foreigners, or about 20.9% of the total population. The capital is St. Gallen. Spelling... |
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| 12 | 1981–1991 | Walter Buser |  |
1926– | Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party of Switzerland The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland.... |
Basel-Landschaft | |
| 13 | 1991–1999 | François Couchepin |  |
1935– | Free Democratic Party Free Democratic Party of Switzerland The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009.... |
Valais Valais The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley... |
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| 14 | 2000–2007 | Annemarie Huber-Hotz Annemarie Huber-Hotz Annemarie Huber-Hotz was Federal Chancellor of Switzerland between 2000 and 2007. She was nominated by the FDP for the office, and elected on 15 December 1999 after four rounds of voting. The activity is comparable to an office for Minister... |
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1948– | Free Democratic Party Free Democratic Party of Switzerland The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009.... |
Zug Canton of Zug The Canton of Zug is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. It is located in central Switzerland and its capital is Zug. With 239 km² the canton is one of the smallest of the cantons in terms of area. It is not subdivided into districts.- History :The earlier history of the canton is... |
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| 15 | 2008– | Corina Casanova Corina Casanova Corina Casanova is the Federal Chancellor of Switzerland.Born 1956 in Ilanz, Graubünden, Casanova worked as a lawyer in the practice of the former President of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court, Giusep Nay, as well as a Red Cross delegate in South Africa, Angola, Nicaragua and El Salvador... |
1956– | Christian Democratic People's Party Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss... |
Graubünden Graubünden Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein... |
See also
- Politics of SwitzerlandPolitics of SwitzerlandThe politics of Switzerland take place in the framework of a multi-party federal parliamentary democratic republic, whereby the Federal Council of Switzerland is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government and the federal administration and is not concentrated in any one...
- List of Presidents of the Swiss Confederation
- List of members of the Swiss Federal Council
- Lists of office-holders
External links
- Official web site of the Federal Chancellery
- A Walk through the History of the Federal Chancellery, in German, French and Italian, on the web site of the Federal Chancellery