As expected, current vice-president Berset was selected from the seven-member executive body to start his second term as president from January 1. He previously held the post in 2018.
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Switzerland’s 19 living ex-presidents: a world record
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Nineteen former Swiss presidents are still alive. What does this record say about the country’s political stability and leadership?
The Swiss presidency changes hands every year and passes between government ministers, who also continue with their ministerial duties.
This year, for example, Ignazio Cassis is both president and foreign minister. The system is designed to ensure that no single person can concentrate too much individual power in their own hands.
Besides chairing government meetings and giving speeches on important occasions, such as the August 1 Swiss National Day, the president has an international diplomatic function.
The Swiss president also meets visiting foreign heads of state and dignitaries when they come to Switzerland on official business.
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Presidential duties
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The office of federal president rotates every year among the seven cabinet ministers.
Parliament was less certain about whom to choose as 2023 president than in previous years. Berset received 140 votes, well below the 190 parliamentarians who endorsed him for the role in 2018.
Earlier on Wednesday parliament voted in two new ministers to the Federal Council from the start of 2023. They will replace the outgoing Ueli Maurer and Simonetta Sommaruga.
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New Swiss government ministers elected to office
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Switzerland’s parliament has appointed two new government ministers to serve in the country’s seven-member executive body.
Direct trains to run from Zurich to Florence and Livorno
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The Swiss Federal Railways and Trenitalia will offer direct trains from Zurich to Florence and Livorno and vice versa from 2026.
Number of Swiss armed forces exceeds specified limit
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The Swiss armed forces had an effective headcount of around 147,000 as of March 1, 2024. This exceeds the upper limit of 140,000 specified in the army organisation by 5%.
More than 400,000 cross-border commuters now work in Switzerland
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More than half of all cross-border commuters were resident in France (around 57%). Large proportions also lived in Italy (23%) and Germany (around 16%).
Amherd and von der Leyen discuss ongoing Swiss-EU negotiations
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Swiss President Viola Amherd and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have met and talked about the ongoing negotiations between Bern and Brussels.
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One million francs, 34 million euros and around 830 kilos of gold: this is the fortune that two Swiss nationals are accused of having moved across borders for at least four years.
Girls in female-dominated classes earn more later on
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At the age of 30, women from school classes with a 55% share of girls earn $350 more per year than women from classes with a 45% share of girls.
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Geneva-based luxury goods group Richemont reported a downturn in performance for the first half of its 2024/25 financial year. Both sales and profit declined.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
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New Swiss government ministers elected to office
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Switzerland's parliament has appointed two new government ministers to serve in the country’s seven-member executive body.
Switzerland’s 19 living ex-presidents: a world record
This content was published on
Nineteen former Swiss presidents are still alive. What does this record say about the country’s political stability and leadership?
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.