2010 Swiss Federal Council election

Two by-elections to the Swiss Federal Council were held in Switzerland on 22 September 2010,^[1] after Federal Councillor Moritz Leuenberger (SP) announced he would leave the Federal Council as of December 31, 2010.^[2] as well as incumbent Federal Councillor Hans-Rudolf Merz (FDP.The Liberals) announced his intention to retire on 6 August 2010, effective late October 2010.^[3] Elected were Simonetta Sommaruga and Johann Schneider-Ammann.

Party Positions

The Green Party and the Swiss People's Party laid claim to the FDP's seat. The election was complicated by the fact that Federal Councillor Moritz Leuenberger (Social Democratic Party, SP) had previously announced his intention to retire in early July 2010, but effective late December 2010; the election to his seat was initially to be held on 8 December 2010,^[4] but Leuenberger then predated his resignation so that only one electoral session would have to be held.

Possible candidates by the FDP for Merz' seat include Karin Keller-Sutter, Gabi Huber, Johann Schneider-Ammann, Philipp Müller, Felix Gutzwiller, Ruedi Noser, Christa Markwalder, Fulvio Pelli, Laura Sadis, Ignazio Cassis and Peter Malama.^[5]^[6] Malama officially announced his candidacy on 20 August 2010,^[7] and Schneider-Ammann was nominated on 2 September 2010.^[8] Noser, Keller-Sutter and Cassis were also nominated.

The Green Party and the FDP.The Liberals have announced they will support the SP's candidate for Leuenberger's seat, while the Swiss People's Party has announced it will put up its own candidate, likely either Jean-François Rime or Adrian Amstutz (Caspar Baader was mooted as a candidate, but declined).^[9]^[10] Rime was selected as their nominee on 3 September 2010. The Christian Democratic People's Party stated it would keep its options open, but then did not nominate any candidates. The CVP later stated it would support the SP and FDP.Liberals holding their seats.^[11]

The SP's favoured candidates appeared to be Simonetta Sommaruga and Jacqueline Fehr, with Pascale Bruderer and Claude Janiak also considered possible candidates.^[12] Bruderer declined to seek the seat^[13] and Sommaruga officially announced her candidacy on 11 August 2010.^[14] Eva Herzog also announced her intention to stand,^[15] as did Hildegard Fässler.^[16] Fehr is also a candidate, which means the SP will nominate two of four women for the seat on 3 September 2010. The SP also might support the Greens for the other seat.^[17]

The Green Party will contest the seat of Merz, with three possible candidates: Geri Müller, Marlies Bänziger and Brigit Wyss.^[18]

Official Candidates

The following were nominated as official candidates for Leuenberger's seat:

SP: Simonetta Sommaruga and Jacqueline Fehr^[19]
SVP: Jean-François Rime

The following candidates will stand for Merz' seat:

FDP.Liberals: Karin Keller-Sutter and Johann Schneider-Ammann^[20]
SVP: Jean-François Rime
GPS: Brigit Wyss

Results

Seat vacated by Moritz Leuenberger

Candidate		Party	Canton	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4
width=5px style="background-color: Template:Social Democratic Party of Switzerland/meta/color" \|	Simonetta Sommaruga	SP	Bern	86	96	98	159
style="background-color: Template:Swiss People's Party/meta/color" \|	Jean-François Rime	SVP	Fribourg	80	78	77	81
style="background-color: Template:Social Democratic Party of Switzerland/meta/color" \|	Jacqueline Fehr	SP	Zurich	61	64	70	-
style="background-color: Template:Social Democratic Party of Switzerland/meta/color" \|	Hildegard Fässler	SP	St. Gallen	10	0	-	-

Votes received by other persons				7	7	-	-
Votes Cast				245	245	245	245
Invalid Votes				1	0	0	2
Blank Votes				0	0	0	3
Valid Votes				244	245	245	240
Absolute Majority				123	123	123	121

Seat vacated by Hans-Rudolf Merz

Candidate		Party	Canton	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5
width=5px style="background-color: Template:Free Democratic Party of Switzerland/meta/color" \|	Johann Schneider-Ammann	FDP	Bern	52	75	78	84	144
style="background-color: Template:Swiss People's Party/meta/color" \|	Jean-François Rime	SVP	Fribourg	72	72	72	76	93
style="background-color: Template:Free Democratic Party of Switzerland/meta/color" \|	Karin Keller-Sutter	FDP	St. Gallen	44	55	66	74	-
style="background-color: Template:Green Party of Switzerland/meta/color" \|	Brigit Wyss	Green	Solothurn	57	40	28	-	-
style="background-color: Template:Free Democratic Party of Switzerland/meta/color" \|	Ignazio Cassis	FDP	Ticino	12	0	-	-	-

Votes received by other persons				7	7	-	-	-
Votes Cast				245	245	245	243	245
Invalid Votes				0	0	1	5	2
Blank Votes				1	0	0	4	6
Valid Votes				244	245	244	234	237
Absolute Majority				123	123	123	118	119

References

[1] ttp://www.20min.ch/news/dossier/brwahlzehn/story/29868355

[2] "Long-serving Swiss cabinet minister resigns". Swissinfo. 9 July 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2010.

[3] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/das_waere_ein_spiel_mit_dem_feuer_1.7118571.html

[4] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/kandidatenkarussell_kommt_in_schwung_1.7116875.html

[5] ttp://www.20min.ch/news/dossier/brwahlzehn/story/29868355

[6] ttp://www.20min.ch/diashow/diashow.tmpl?showid=31965

[7] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/auch_peter_malama_kandidiert_fuer_die_merz-nachfolge_1.7277653.html

[8] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/bundesratswahlen_fdp_bern_schneider-ammann_1.7417666.html

[9] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/die_fdp_koennte_von_einer_doppelvakanz_profitieren_1.6509320.html

[10] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/rime_steht_abrufbereit_1.7345071.html

[11] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/wir_duerfen_svp-kandidat_rime_nicht_waehlen_1.7604930.html

[12] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/rauer_wind_gegen_favoritin_sommaruga_1.6529404.html

[13] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/bruderer_will_nicht_bundesraetin_werden_1.7171164.html

[14] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/simonetta_sommaruga_geht_ins_rennen_1.7172803.html

[15] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/schweiz_bundesrat_kandidaten_herzog_eva_basel-stadt_1.7227637.html

[16] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/hildegard_faessler_1.7308362.html

[17] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/bundesratswahlen_sp_1.7415764.html

[18] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/gruene_einladung_und_hiebe_richtung_cvp_1.7362456.html

[19] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/die_sp_nominiert_zwei_brueckenbauerinnen_1.7440446.html

[20] ttp://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/die_freisinnigen_setzen_auf_ihre_favoriten_1.7440340.html

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