Guy Parmelin bows out after a remarkable final act

Swiss President Guy Parmelin and Swiss State Secretary Helene Budliger Artieda, November 2025. Keystone-SDA

When Guy Parmelin began his second stint as Swiss president, the 66-year-old could reasonably have expected a quiet final year in office. Instead, the political dramas of 2026 gave the usually reserved economics minister an unexpected return to centre stage before his departure in December.

When Parmelin was elected to the Federal Council at the end of 2015, he was virtually unknown to the public. Even during his first few years in office, he rarely sought the limelight. In public opinion polls on popularity and influence within the Federal Council, he consistently ranked in the lower mid-table. In the media, he was sometimes described as a reserved “water-carrier” for his party.

From a winegrower from Bursins, canton Vaud – often perceived as a man of measured judgement – the right-wing Swiss People’s Party politician has, in his second year in the rotating president role, transformed himself into a crisis manager and architect of sustainable economic agreements.

Parmelin enjoyed a level of respect in the final stages of his federal government career, particularly in German-speaking regions and among the conservative business establishment, that extended beyond the confines of his own party.

His down-to-earth and level-headed manner helped him in this regard. Even his command of German, which had been criticised at the start of his term of office, was hardly an issue any more.

The previously uncharismatic speaker developed into a credible statesman serving the Swiss population. Last December, parliamentarians elected Parmelin as Swiss president with a record result of 203 votes.

Turning point in US customs dispute

Among the most enduring images of his presidency was his role during the complex tariff dispute with the US. While relations with Washington had long been strained by unilateral additional tariffs and uncertainties over trade policy, Parmelin’s pragmatic negotiating style – with the support of Swiss State Secretary Helene Budliger Artieda – gave the Swiss export sector some breathing space.

His ability to communicate directly with decision-makers in the US government made it possible to secure concrete relief for Swiss industry. In contrast to last year’s president, Karin Keller-Sutter, Parmelin forged a connection with the inner circle of the US government close to Donald Trump.

This success was directly reflected in a rise in his standing in the economic centres of German-speaking Switzerland. Whereas Parmelin was sometimes met with mild scepticism in the past, he is now recognised as a reliable advocate for Switzerland as a business hub. Prominent business leaders have spoken positively about the head of the economics ministry.

The influential financial investor and Partners Group co-founder Alfred Gantner underlined Parmelin’s down-to-earth efficiency and negotiating skills. This praise shows that he has raised his profile over the course of 2026.

At odds with own party on EU dossier

Alongside relations with the US, 2026 was marked by key decisions on European policy. It is not without certain irony that it was Parmelin of all people – as a representative of the Eurosceptic People’s Party – who signed the Swiss-EU bilateral treaty, known as Bilaterals III. However, during a joint appearance with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on March 2, 2026, he could scarcely be persuaded to smile.

In his first year as Swiss president in 2021, Parmelin had been forced to inform EU leaders in Brussels of the unilateral termination of negotiations on a framework agreement. The Federal Council is keen to avoid a second such shock if possible.

Just this week, Parmelin defended the controversial Swiss-EU agreement in the Senate in the face of fierce opposition from his own party. The long-negotiated compromise reached by the social partners on wage protection remained intact – a success for the negotiating team and for Parmelin.

Throughout his years in government, Parmelin has rarely lost his composure; he has dealt with the conflicting views of the Federal Council and those of his party with stoic calm, consistently prioritising the principle of collegiality and the country’s economic stability.

Juggling on the global stage

The economics minister was also pragmatic when it came to diversifying Switzerland’s trading partners. Concluding and modernising free trade agreements was a key priority of his term in office. A milestone was the signing of the free trade agreement with India in March 2024 in New Delhi after 16 years of negotiations – a success of which he was visibly proud.

As early as 2021, he had successfully defended the free trade agreement with Indonesia in a referendum. This was followed by agreements with the Mercosur states, Malaysia, Thailand, Chile and Turkey, whilst intensive talks were held with trading partners such as China and Japan on modernising existing treaties.

In doing so, Parmelin generally managed to strike a balance between the left’s demands for strict sustainability and human rights standards, the centre-right’s calls for deregulation, and the concerns of the domestic agricultural lobby. For the left, however, this was often not enough. Referendums on the Mercosur and Malaysia agreements are likely to be held soon.

Agriculture and cutting red tape

On domestic policy, Parmelin, who is a trained farmer, remained closely connected to his roots. He followed the emotionally charged debates on the future direction of Swiss agricultural policy with empathy for the concerns of the farming and food sectors. Although he introduced new environmental regulations to parliament on several occasions, he did not appear disappointed when lawmakers passed watered-down versions of the bills.

Parmelin was also successful in his fight against two initiatives that sought to ban the use of pesticides in agriculture almost entirely. This vote revealed a significant urban-rural divide. The agriculture minister subsequently sought to close the ranks – and defended certain tighter restrictions on pesticide use in Parliament.

He took seriously the complaints about “too much red tape”, voiced during the farmers’ protests in early 2024, which are also clearly heard among small- and medium-sized businesses. Together with the sector, he pushed forward initiatives to free businesses from administrative burdens.

Calm leadership in times of crisis

Parmelin built his reputation as a stabilising force during previous moments of crisis. His appearance on the world stage during his first year as president in 2021 remains unforgettable, particularly when he hosted US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the summit in Geneva. He appeared relaxed and demonstrated his diplomatic skill by greeting the two statesmen in their own languages, thereby brushing aside ridicule about his limited language skills.

During the pandemic, however, the economics minister also faced criticism. Many businesses would have liked more support from the federal government to compensate for lost revenue resulting from strict Covid-19 measures. Parmelin was also reluctant to come to the aid of so-called “hardship cases”. The state cannot help everyone was his credo and he urged the public to take personal responsibility.

In the spring of 2022, too, when Russia launched its war of aggression against Ukraine, Parmelin reacted hesitantly. Initially, he was cautious, even opposed, to sanctions against Russia. According to media reports, his department, for example, put the brakes on discussions regarding the Russian oil embargo before bowing to the will of the Federal Council and the federal administration. The system for monitoring compliance with the sanctions also drew criticism of the economics ministry.

Recurring rumours of resignation

There were periods during his tenure when he was less visible in public. These were the times when the media speculated about his resignation. Back pain, a fall in his office and reaching retirement age fuelled such rumours, particularly in the 2023 election year. At the time, Parmelin felt compelled to deny media reports about his possible imminent resignation.

Since then, observers have assumed that Parmelin will announce his resignation after his second term as Swiss president and before the federal elections in autumn 2027. For some time now, the Vaud native has been the longest-serving member of the federal government.

Parmelin’s early years as a cabinet minister have almost been forgotten. Following his election in December 2015 as the successor to Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, he headed the defence ministry, as many People’s Party ministers have done before him. He immediately made his mark by securing an increase in the army’s budget.

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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.