The cabinet has confirmed its plans for the presidential term to be doubled from one year to two, as part of reforms aimed at strengthening the seven-member executive.
President Doris Leuthard stressed the importance of boosting collective decisions to adapt to a changing world.
“A two-year presidency would help facilitate contacts and protect the interests of Switzerland in an increasingly interconnected world,” she told a news conference on Wednesday.
Leuthard said a rotating two-year presidency was a major change for a country with a government system based on a fair representation of linguistic and cultural minorities.
The cabinet also endorsed proposals, mooted last March, to appoint additional state secretaries to represent government ministers abroad and in parliament.
The reforms, including closer cooperation between ministries, are subject to approval by parliament and partly also by a nationwide vote. Previous attempts over the past 20 years to overhaul the government system have failed.
The Swiss government has seven members, including a president with largely ceremonial powers. In addition there are four state secretaries.
Plans for a reorganisation of the ministries are expected later this year.
Leuthard dismissed allegations by a parliamentary report and the media about a climate of distrust among cabinet members.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Parliament endorses calls for cabinet reform
This content was published on
The House on Thursday unanimously approved a Senate motion aimed at boosting the efficiency of the cabinet to focus on strategic issues and improve cooperation between the seven ministries. Federal Chancellor Corina Casanova assured parliament that the cabinet would present its reform plans in the first half of next year. The motion, the brainchild of…
This content was published on
It also came out in favour of increasing the number of state secretaries, according to a statement by the Federal Chancellery on Thursday. Extending the presidency, which rotates among cabinet members according to a principle of seniority, would help boost the leading role of the office and represent the country better abroad, the statement said.…
This content was published on
It has been a turbulent week, with Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz recovering from a heart attack and Defence Minister Samuel Schmid under fire. Political scientist Hans Hirter tells swissinfo that cabinet members face ever increasing attacks on their person, rather than being judged solely on their policies. He also considers how recent events may affect…
This content was published on
The group photo of the Swiss Federal Council is an annual ritual. It is not just a souvenir but also captures the ambitions through symbolism.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.