The Swiss government agreed to make newcomer Elisabeth Baume-Schneider from the centre-left Social Democrats the country’s new justice minister. The other new face, Albert Rösti of the rightwing People’s Party, will take charge of the department of the environment, transport, energy and communications.
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Tres ministerios suizos tendrán nuevo titular en 2023
Karin Keller-Sutter from the centre-right Liberals will be the country’s new finance minister in a cabinet reshuffle sparked by the resignations of two members.
Keller-Sutter replaces Ueli Maurer, who is retiring from the start of next year, in the seven-member cabinet.
Rösti will take over from Simonetta Sommaruga, a Social Democrat, who is stepping down to help care for her husband, who is recovering from a stroke.
Other members of the cabinet kept their jobs following the reshuffle, including Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.
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Merry-go-round: how Swiss government ministries are allocated
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When new federal ministers are elected, a reshuffle of ministries often follows. How does it all work?
Under the Swiss model of consensus government, it’s the seven government ministers themselves who decide the allocation of the seven departments. The principle of seniority applies. This means that the longest-serving member gets first choice and the others follow based on the date of their election to the Federal Council.
These choices are then approved by the entire seven-member body. If they cannot agree, a vote is held. But no one is allowed to object. According to parliamentary regulations, Federal Council members have to accept the department assigned to them by their peers.
“The aim of the informal meeting was to find the best distribution of tasks in the interests of the country”, while bearing in mind each person’s interests, said Cassis, who also holds this year’s rotating presidency, at a press conference.
With the departure of Maurer and Sommaruga, Interior Minister Alain Berset is now the most senior member of cabinet. He will take on the rotating role of Swiss president next year, parliament has decided.
Who got what?
Albert Rösti: environment, transport, energy and communications ministry
Elisabeth Baume-Schneider: justice ministry
Karin Keller-Sutter: finance ministry
Alain Berset: interior ministry (as before)
Ignazio Cassis: foreign ministry (as before)
Viola Amherd: defence ministry (as before)
Guy Parmelin: economics ministry (as before)
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Fresh faces, old formula: Swiss government gets new ministers
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Switzerland’s seven-member cabinet, which got two new members on Wednesday, is composed according to the ‘magic formula’ of political consensus.
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Starting Wednesday, Swiss researchers will have access to the European Research Council’s Proof of Concept Grants, said the European Commission.
Switzerland condemned for denying asylum for gay Iranian
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Switzerland violated the prohibition on inhuman treatment by considering that a gay Iranian could be returned to his country.
Gestational diabetes found to increase risk of adult-onset diabetes
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A research team from the Lake Geneva region has identified persistent dysfunctions in glucose regulation in women with gestational diabetes. In the long term, this can increase the risk of adult-onset diabetes by up to ten times.
Swiss village must be evacuated by midday on Sunday
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The village of Brienz-Brinzauls in eastern Switzerland, which is threatened by a rockfall, must be evacuated by 1pm on Sunday. All residents must leave the village.
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A former judge of the Graubünden Administrative Court in eastern Switzerland has been found guilty of rape, sexual harassment and threatening a former trainee.
Costs and care time increase in Swiss retirement and nursing homes
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In 2023 the costs of retirement and nursing homes increased by 5% compared to 2022 and those of assistance and care at home by 7%. Together, they amounted to CHF15 billion.
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Almost half of the population in Switzerland shows clear to pronounced signs of smartphone addiction, according to a survey.
Swiss healthcare stakeholders want to save CHF300 million
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The main players in the Swiss healthcare sector want to save around CHF300 million ($340 million) in healthcare costs a year from 2026.
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Switzerland's parliament has appointed two new government ministers to serve in the country’s seven-member executive body.
Fresh faces, old formula: Swiss government gets new ministers
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Switzerland’s seven-member cabinet, which got two new members on Wednesday, is composed according to the ‘magic formula’ of political consensus.
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