Chancellor of Switzerland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Federal Chancellor of Switzerland
Incumbent Viktor Rossi since 1 January 2024
Federal Chancellery of Switzerland
Residence	Federal Palace
Term length	Four years, renewable
Inaugural holder	Jean-Marc Mousson
Formation	1803; 222 years ago (1803)
Website	www.bk.admin.ch

The Federal Chancellor is a very important person in the Swiss government. They lead the Federal Chancellery of Switzerland, which is the oldest federal office in Switzerland. This office was created way back in 1803 by Napoleon.

Think of the Chancellor as the "general staff" for the Federal Council. The Federal Council is like Switzerland's main government team, made up of seven members. The Chancellor helps them run the country smoothly.

It's important to know that the Swiss Federal Chancellor is not like the Chancellor in Germany or Austria. They are also different from the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the United Kingdom. The Swiss Chancellor has a unique role.

The person holding this job right now is Viktor Rossi. He is a member of the Green Liberal Party and comes from Bern. He was chosen on December 13, 2023, and started his work on January 1, 2024.

How the Federal Chancellor is Chosen

The Federal Chancellor is elected for a four-year period. Both parts of the Swiss parliament, called the Federal Assembly, vote together. They choose the Chancellor at the same time and in the same way they choose the members of the Federal Council.

The election is done by secret ballot, meaning no one knows who voted for whom. They use a special voting system where members can vote for anyone eligible in the first two rounds. After that, only candidates who are still in the running can be voted for. If no one gets more than half of the votes, the person with the fewest votes is removed. This process continues until someone wins with a clear majority.

What Vice-Chancellors Do

There are also one or two Vice-Chancellors who help the main Chancellor. Unlike the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellors are chosen directly by the Federal Council. Before 1852, this job was called the State Secretary of the Confederation.

Currently, Jörg De Bernardi is a Vice-Chancellor. He helps manage the Federal Council's schedule. He took on this role again after Viktor Rossi became Chancellor. In May 2024, another Vice-Chancellor, André Simonazzi, sadly passed away. The Federal Council then asked Ursula Eggenberger to take over temporarily while they look for a new permanent person. Also, Rachel Salzmann will take over from Jörg De Bernardi in July.

The Chancellor's Important Role

The Federal Chancellor's job is a political one, but it's mostly about making sure things run well. It's often called a "technocratic" role, meaning they focus on the technical and administrative side of government.

The Chancellor goes to all the meetings of the Federal Council. However, they do not get to vote on decisions. The Chancellor also helps prepare important reports for the Federal Assembly. These reports explain what the Federal Council is doing and what its plans are.

Even though the Chancellor doesn't vote, their position is very important. People often call them the "eighth Federal Councillor" because they are so involved. The Chancellery also makes sure that all new federal laws are officially published.

Past Federal Chancellors

Switzerland has had many Federal Chancellors since the position was created. Here is a list of the people who have held this important role:

#	Years Served	Chancellor	Portrait	Born–Died	Political Party		Home Region (Canton)
1	1803–1830	Jean-Marc Mousson		1776–1861		Liberal Party	Vaud
2	1831–1847	Josef Franz Karl Amrhyn		1800–1849		Liberal Party	Lucerne
3	1848–1881	Johann Ulrich Schiess		1813–1883		Liberal Party	Appenzell Ausserrhoden
4	1882–1909	Gottlieb Ringier		1837–1929		Liberal Party	Aargau
5	1910–1918	Hans Schatzmann		1848–1923		Free Democratic Party	Aargau
6	1919–1925	Adolf von Steiger		1859–1925		Free Democratic Party	Bern
7	1925–1934	Robert Käslin		1871–1934		Free Democratic Party	Nidwalden
8	1934–1943	George Bovet		1874–1946		Free Democratic Party	Neuchâtel
9	1944–1951	Oskar Leimgruber		1886–1976		Christian Democratic People's Party	Fribourg
10	1951–1967	Charles Oser		1902–1994		Free Democratic Party	Basel-Stadt
11	1968–1981	Karl Huber		1915–2002		Christian Democratic People's Party	St. Gallen
12	1981–1991	Walter Buser		1926–2019		Social Democratic Party	Basel-Landschaft
13	1991–1999	François Couchepin		1935–2023		Free Democratic Party	Valais
14	2000–2007	Annemarie Huber-Hotz		1948–2019		Free Democratic Party	Zug
15	2008–2015	Corina Casanova		1956–		Christian Democratic People's Party	Grisons
16	2016–2023	Walter Thurnherr		1963–		Christian Democratic People's Party	Aargau
						The Centre
17	2024–present	Viktor Rossi		1968–		Green Liberal Party	Bern

See also

In Spanish: Canciller de la Confederación Suiza para niños

• Politics of Switzerland
• List of presidents of the Swiss Confederation
• List of members of the Swiss Federal Council
• Lists of office-holders