Succession to Parmelin: the SVP still looking for its candidate

By noon next Friday, SVP members interested in succeeding Guy Parmelin on the Federal Council must officially announce their candidacy. So far only Geneva National Councillor Céline Amaudruz, deputy president of the Swiss party, has come forward.

Several other names are circulating, but none has made a final decision yet. Fribourg's Nicolas Kolly, elected to the National Council in 2023 and active on EU relations and agriculture, will announce his decision shortly. Bern's Pierre Alain Schnegg, a cantonal government councillor with long experience representing the Bernese Jura in the cantonal executive, has not yet spoken. Valais councillor Franz Ruppen, who was a National Councillor from 2015 to 2021, is considering running.

Party heavyweights stay quiet

Two heavyweight figures of the SVP group in the National Council, Zug's Thomas Aeschi, who already ran for the Federal Council in 2015, and Zurich's Thomas Matter, have not revealed their intentions. Their uncompromising positions on several issues could cost them support outside the parliamentary group.

Other National Council members who could enter the race include Lucerne's Franz Grüter, Thurgau's Pascal Schmid, Obwalden's Monika Rüegger, Aargau's Benjamin Giezendanner and Valais' Michael Graber. Aargau's Jean-Pierre Gallati, a former National Councillor now serving as his canton's health minister, is also weighing a candidacy.

For now, the long list of those who have ruled themselves out looms largest. Among the most notable withdrawals are Zurich government councillor Natalie Rickli and Swiss party president Marcel Dettling. Also out are Schwyz government councillor Andre Rüegsegger, St. Gallen Council of States member Esther Friedli, and National Councillors Christian Imark (Solothurn), Sylvain Freymond and Yvan Pahud (both from Vaud), along with Fribourg's Pierre-André Page, the current president of the National Council.

These withdrawals reduce the chances that French-speaking Switzerland will reclaim a Federal Council seat after Parmelin. Magdalena Martullo-Blocher, daughter of the well-known Zurich party figure, also withdrew early on, calling a candidacy incompatible with her business activities.