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 special leader in Switzerland. This person is like the "first among equals" among the seven members of the Federal Council. The Federal Council is Switzerland's main executive body, like a team of leaders. The president is chosen by the Federal Assembly for just one year. Their job is to lead meetings of the Federal Council and represent Switzerland on certain occasions.
It's important to know that the Swiss President is not like a traditional head of state in other countries. Instead, the entire Federal Council acts as the collective head of state. This means all seven members share that important role together. The president still leads their own government department, just like the other council members.
Currently, Guy Parmelin is the President of the Swiss Confederation, a role he has held since January 1, 2026.
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Understanding Switzerland's President
Switzerland has a unique way of leading its country. Unlike many nations with a single president or prime minister, Switzerland is led by a team of seven people called the Federal Council. The President of the Swiss Confederation is one of these seven members. They are chosen to be the leader of this team for one year.
What Does the President Do?
The Swiss President has several important duties. They lead the meetings of the Federal Council, making sure discussions are fair and decisions are made. Even though they are the president, they don't have more power than the other six council members. They are still in charge of their own specific government department, like a minister.
One interesting rule is about voting. If the Federal Council has a tie vote on an issue, the president's vote counts as double. This helps to break the tie and move decisions forward.
Representing Switzerland
The president also takes on some duties that a single head of state might do in other countries. For example, they might speak at important international gatherings, like the United Nations General Assembly. This helps to show Switzerland's presence on the world stage.
However, because the entire Federal Council is the head of state, the Swiss President does not make official "state visits" to other countries alone. When the president travels abroad, it's usually in their role as the head of their specific government department. When leaders from other countries visit Switzerland, all seven members of the Federal Council welcome them together. Important agreements and treaties are also signed on behalf of the entire Federal Council.
How is the President Chosen?
Each year, the Federal Assembly (which is Switzerland's parliament) elects the president from among the members of the Federal Council. This election is for a one-year term.
In the past, being elected president was seen as a special honor for highly respected council members. Today, the election is usually quite predictable. There's an unwritten rule: the council member who hasn't been president for the longest time usually gets the next turn. This means that every member of the Federal Council typically gets to be president at least once every seven years.
The main excitement during the election is seeing how many votes the new president receives. This is seen as a way to measure their popularity among the members of the Federal Assembly. Getting a high number of votes shows strong support.
The Vice President's Role
Along with the president, a Vice President of the Federal Council is also elected each year. Usually, the person chosen as vice president is expected to become the president the following year. This is another unwritten tradition.
A key rule from the Swiss Constitution is that the current president cannot be elected as either president or vice president for the very next year. This ensures a rotation of leadership and prevents one person from holding the top position for too long.
See also
In Spanish: Presidente de la Confederación Suiza para niños
