Government Of Switzerland
The Federal Council is the seven-member executive council which constitutes the federal government of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss collective head of state.
While the entire council is responsible for leading the federal administration of Switzerland, each Councillor heads one of the seven federal executive departments. The current members of the Federal Council are, in order of seniority:
| Member of Council | Joined Council | Party | Canton | Function | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doris Leuthard | 1 August 2006 | Christian Democrats | Aargau | Head of Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications | ||
| Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf | 1 January 2008 | Conservative Democrats | Graubünden | President for 2012; Head of Federal Department of Finance | ||
| Ueli Maurer | 1 January 2009 | Swiss People's Party | Zurich | Vice President for 2012; Head of Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports | ||
| Didier Burkhalter | 1 November 2009 | FDP.The Liberals | Neuchâtel | Head of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs | ||
| Simonetta Sommaruga | 1 November 2010 | Social Democrats | Bern | Head of Federal Department of Justice and Police | ||
| Johann Schneider-Ammann | 1 November 2010 | FDP.The Liberals | Bern | Head of Federal Department of Economic Affairs | ||
| Alain Berset | 1 January 2012 | Social Democrats | Fribourg | Head of Federal Department of Home Affairs | ||
Read more about Government Of Switzerland: Assessment and Calls For Change, List of "firsts" in The Federal Council
Famous quotes containing the words government and/or switzerland:
“A government deriving its energy from the will of the society, and operating, by the reason of its measures, on the understanding and interest of the society ... is the government for which philosophy has been searching and humanity been fighting from the most remote ages ... which it is the glory of America to have invented, and her unrivalled happiness to possess.”
—James Madison (1751–1836)
“In a war everybody always knows all about Switzerland, in peace times it is just Switzerland but in war time it is the only country that everybody has confidence in, everybody.”
—Gertrude Stein (1874–1946)