President of the Swiss Confederation facts for kids
Quick facts for kids President of the Swiss Confederation |
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| Term length | Unlimited non-consecutive one-year terms |
| Inaugural holder | Jonas Furrer |
| Formation | 21 November 1848 |
| Deputy | Vice President of the Federal Council |
| Salary | CHF 445,163 annually |
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The President of the Swiss Confederation is a very important role in Switzerland. This person is often called the President of Switzerland in everyday talk. They are like the leader of a team of seven people called the Federal Council. This council is Switzerland's main government group.
The president is chosen by the Federal Assembly for just one year. Their main jobs are to lead meetings of the Federal Council and to represent Switzerland at special events. Even though they are called "president," they are seen as "first among equals." This means they don't have more power than the other six members of the Federal Council. They still manage their own government department, just like the other members.
The current president is Karin Keller-Sutter, who started her term on January 1, 2025.
Contents
What Does the Swiss President Do?
Unlike presidents in many other countries, the Swiss president is not the only head of state. In Switzerland, the entire Federal Council acts as the collective head of state and government. This means all seven members together represent the country.
- Leading Meetings: The president chairs the meetings of the Federal Council. If there's a tie vote, the president's vote counts as double.
- Representing Switzerland: The president handles some duties that a single head of state would do in other countries. For example, they might speak at the United Nations General Assembly.
- Travel Abroad: When the president travels to other countries, they usually go as the head of their specific government department, not as the sole head of state.
- Receiving Guests: When leaders from other countries visit Switzerland, all seven members of the Federal Council welcome them together.
- Signing Documents: Important agreements and documents are signed on behalf of the entire Federal Council.
How the President is Chosen
The president is elected by the Federal Assembly. This election happens once a year.
- A Rotating Role: In the past, being president was a special award. But since the 1900s, it's become a regular rotation. There's an unwritten rule: the person on the Federal Council who hasn't been president for the longest time usually gets the job next. This way, every member gets a turn about once every seven years.
- Popularity Test: The election is usually not a big surprise. The main excitement is seeing how many votes the new president receives. A high number of votes shows they are very popular among the members of the Federal Assembly.
- Old Traditions: Before 1920, the president also used to lead the Department of Foreign Affairs. This meant government jobs would shift around every year. Also, presidents traditionally didn't leave Switzerland during their year in office.
Vice-President of the Federal Council
Along with the president, a vice-president of the Federal Council is also elected. This person is usually the one expected to become president the following year. This is also an unwritten rule, meaning it's a tradition, not a strict law. The only official rule is that the current president cannot be elected as president or vice-president for the next year.
See also
