Candidates line up to replace Swiss government minister Parmelin

The SVP parliamentary group in the Federal Assembly will put forward one or more official candidates on 20 November. The SVP leadership has not yet announced how many names will be included on the official party list. Keystone-SDA

The process to replace Guy Parmelin in the Swiss government has started after the economics minister announced on Friday that he is stepping down at the end of the year.

Numerous names are already being bandied about ahead of a parliamentary vote on appointing a new government minister on December 9.

According to the so-called ‘magic’ formula of designating seats in the Swiss executive Federal Council, Parmelin is due to be replaced by a fellow Swiss People’s Party member.

+ The ‘magic’ formula for distributing Swiss government seats by political party

Céline Amaudruz, Swiss People’s Party vice-president and Geneva politician, did not stand for election following Ueli Maurer’s resignation in 2022.

But this time, the politician – who is also well known in German-speaking Switzerland – might have a change of heart. Amaudruz is taking time to consider a possible candidacy to succeed Parmelin.

+ The Swiss political system explained

“It’s likely to be a long weekend,” she told Swiss public broadcaster RTS.

Amaudruz will consult her husband, employer and party leader in “a matter of a few days”. However, the 47-year-old has recently voted against her party line on several occasions, for example on socio-political issues such as marriage for all or the legalisation of egg donation.

St Gallen candidate

Two further promising candidates come from German-speaking Switzerland. They are Zurich’s director of health and ex-federal parliamantarian Natalie Rickli, and St Gallen Senate member Esther Friedli.

Like Amaudruz, Friedli did not stand as a candidate following Maurer’s resignation in 2022. Instead, she entered the Senate. But the question arises as to whether the canton of St Gallen is over-represented in the federal government ranks. Finance minister Karin Keller-Sutter is already in the Federal Council.

Natalie Rickli will be in the midst of a Zurich cantonal re-election campaign when parliamen t votes on the new federal councillor. But Rickli is one of the most prominent Swiss People’s Party politicians and brings many years of parliamentary experience.

Parliamentary majority crucial

From Central Switzerland, Monika Rüegger (Obwalden), Marcel Dettling (Schwyz) and Thomas Aeschi (Zug) have been mentioned. But the Swiss People’s Party will not immediately comment on possible candidates.

Aeschi is regarded as a hardliner, which makes support from outside his political party more difficult. Magdalena Martullo-Blocher, Thomas Matter and Pascal Schmid also fall into this category.

Lucerne politician Franz Grüter has not ruled out his candidacy. Grüter has sat in the House of representatives since 2015 and is part of the foreign affairs committee.

Western Swiss SVP calls for continuity

The canton Vaud chapter of the Swiuss People’s Party will campaign for Parmelin’s seat to go to someone from French-speaking Switzerland. Apart from Amaudruz, potential candidates include Yvan Pahud and Nicolas Kolly.

The latter is regarded as a talented politician with a strong grasp of the issues and is being put forward by observers as a consensus-building alternative.

Canton Bern’s Pierre Alain Schnegg remains tight-lipped. “The focus should now be on recognising the work and achievements of the outgoing Guy Parmelin. I do not wish to comment on any further steps at this stage.”

Official candidates will be nominated on November 20. The Swiss People’s Party has left open how many names will be included on the list.

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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.