was because the left-wing party relied on the right-wing camp’s support on 13 December to retain the seat of departing SP minister Alain Berset. This prompted the Greens to accuse them of selling out to the ‘power cartel’. The voting procedure also placed the social democrats in something of a dilemma. The vacant SP seat was the last item on the agenda – i.e. after the re-election of the six government members (the seventh one having opted not to stand). The SP was mindful that it could be penalised by the SVP and FDP if it threw its weight behind the Green candidate. The strategy worked as the parliament selected one of the two official SP candidates to succeed Alain Berset. A new face on the Federal Council The successful candidate was the almost 60-year-old president of Basel-Stadt cantonal government and former national councillor, Beat Jans. The SP member campaigned as a builder of bridges and promised to keep his door open when in office. Jans is Basel-Stadt’s first federal councillor in over 50 years. Through his election, the urban centres are once again prominent in the federal government. The departure of Alain Berset (Fribourg) also marks the end of French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino’s majority in the Federal Council: four of the seven government members are once again from the the Swiss Abroad, Rossi gave his assurance that he wanted to build on what has been achieved so far. Moreover, he also reiterated that “electronic voting is an important instrument to many Swiss Abroad for political codetermination”. So, it was right that those voters who live abroad are made a priority. SP Elisabeth Baume-Schneider Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) SP Beat Jans Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) The centre Viola Amherd Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) FDP Karin Keller-Sutter Federal Department of Finance (FDF) FDP Ignazio Cassis Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) SVP Albert Rösti Fed. Dep. of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) SVP Guy Parmelin Fed. Dep. of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) German-speaking areas, including Viola Amherd (Centre) from Valais, the federal president in 2024. The parliament also elected a new federal chancellor to act as chief of staff and coordinate government business. Walter Thurnherr of the Centre party has stepped down (see Review 6/2023 for profile) to be succeeded by his deputy, Viktor Rossi of the Green Liberals. This is the first time a member of a non-governing party has filled the hot seat. As head of the Federal Chancellery, Rossi will also be responsible for advancing the cause of e-voting. In a pre-election survey by the Organisation of A qualified slide to the right The right-wing conservative Swiss People’s Party (SVP) emerged as the resounding winner in the National Council following the federal elections of autumn 2023 (see “Swiss Review” 6/2023). However, in the Council of States, the second chamber, the SVP achieved a more modest result. Despite having been in a promising position, their candidates fell short in several cantons at the second vote, particularly in the canton of Zurich. The FDP also performed well below its own expectations. By contrast, the Centre built on its leading position in the Council of States. To the left, the SP consolidated its representation, while the Greens again lost ground. The Green Liberals (GLP) returned to the Council of States. The breakdown of the 46 seats in the Council of States is as follows – compared to the 2019 elections: Centre 15 seats (+2 seats), FDP 11 (-1), SP 9 (-), SVP 6 (-), Greens 3 (-2), GLP 1 (+1), MCG 1 (+1). Overall, the Council of States will remain a bastion of conservatism. At the same time, the centre will have greater clout than hitherto. (TP) Overview of all the election results to the National Council and Council of States: www.wahlen.admin.ch/en/ch/ Swiss Review / January 2024 / No.1 13
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