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The Swiss Confederation a Brief Guide 2009

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THE EXECUTIVE: FEDERAL COUNCIL AND DEPARTMENTS OR The Swiss government 40 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide THE EXECUTIVE or the first time in its hundred-and-sixty- Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf for accepting the elec­ year history, the Federal Council currently tion to the government against the wishes of her F consists of members from five different party – and the subsequent founding of the BDP parties: The exclusion last year of the canton means that a small grouping is also represented Graubünden section of the SVP from the national in the Federal Council. party – and consequently of Federal Councillor The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 41 The Federal Council The Swiss government comprises the seven members of the Federal Council, who are each elected by the United Federal Assembly for a four-year term of office. The president is elected for one year only and is regarded when in office as primus inter pares, or first among equals. He or she chairs the sessions of the Federal Council and undertakes special ceremonial duties. The Federal Chancellor acts as the govern­ ment’s chief of staff. Hans-Rudolf Merz Doris Leuthard Vice-President of Moritz Leuenberger Pascal Couchepin President of the Swiss Confederation the Federal Council Head of the Federal Department of Head of the Federal Department Head of the Federal Department Head of the Federal Department the Environment, Transport, Energy of Home Affairs of Finance of Economic Affairs and Communications Member of the FDP Member of the FDP Member of the CVP Member of the SP Federal Councillor since 1998 Federal Councillor since 2004 Federal Councillor since 2006 Federal Councillor since 1995 Micheline Calmy-Rey Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf Ueli Maurer Corina Casanova Head of the Federal Department Head of the Federal Department Head of the Federal Department of Member of the CVP of Foreign Affairs of Justice and Police Defence, Civil Protection and Sport Federal Chancellor since 2008 Member of the SP Member of the BDP Member of the SVP Federal Councillor since 2003 Federal Councillor since 2008 Federal Councillor since 2009 The composition of the Federal Council in terms of political parties FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP The diagram shows the representation of FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP SP SP SP SP the political par ties in the Federal Council FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP SP SP SP SP SP since 1848 from the for ty years in which FDP FDP FDP FDP SVP SVP SVP SVP BDP SVP its members all came from the Radical FDP FDP LPS CVP CVP CVP CVP SVP BDP BDP FDP CVP CVP CVP CVP CVP CVP CVP CVP CVP Par ty to the current composition. 1848 1892 1916 1920 1929 1944 1959 2004 2008 2009 42 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide THE EXECUTIVE Collegiality According to Article 177 of the Federal Consti­ tution, the Federal Council is a collegial body, in which each member has the same rights and responsibilities. The national government convenes every Wednesday morning for ordinary meetings where members express their views on the matters at hand and pass resolutions. As a rule, the Federal Council avoids putting mat­ ters to a vote, as it is normally clear from the discussion what the majority view is. Deci­ sions are reached behind closed doors and must be presented in public unanimously, us­ Role of the Federal Council As the highest ex­ ing the arguments that won the day in the dis­ ecutive authority of the country, the Federal council is primarily cussions. In other words, members who do not responsible for the activities of the government. It must continu­ share the opinion of the majority must none­ ously theless endorse the decisions of the Council • assess the situation arising from developments in the State as a whole. and society and from events at home and abroad; • define the fundamental goals of State action and determine the resources needed to attain them; Concordance comes from the Lat­ • plan and co-ordinate government policy and ensure its imple­ in term “concordia”, which means unanimity or mentation; the popular expression “one heart and soul”. • represent the Confederation at home and abroad. Unlike the consideration for the various re­ gions of Switzerland, concordance is not stip­ Furthermore, the Federal Council must regularly and systemati­ ulated in the constitution, but has developed cally scrutinise the workings of the Federal Administration in over many years through Switzerland’s highly order to ensure its efficiency and the legality and practicality of developed mechanisms for the protection of its activities. The Federal council also takes part in the legisla­ minorities. tive procedure by Concordance, does not, however, imply • leading the preliminary proceedings of legislation; that everyone in Parliament and in the govern­ • submitting federal acts and decrees to the Federal Assembly; ment is (or should be) in complete agreement, • enacting ordinances in so far as the Federal Constitution or but rather that all opinions are represented federal law empowers it to do so. and carry a weight that accords closely with the level of support that they enjoy among the Finally, the Federal Council drafts the budget and the State ac­ electorate. counts. It takes administrative action only in exceptional cases. The Federal Council generally meets for one ordinary session The magic formula is the each week and takes decisions on some 2000 to 2500 matters phrase used to describe the way in which the each year. In addition to the extraordinary sessions, which are Federal Council has been constituted since convened at short notice as and when the need arises, a number 1959 when the seats allocated to parties rep­ of special meetings are also held each year, which are dedicated resented in the national government first cor­ to the consideration of especially complex and important issues. responded roughly to their share of the vote: The sessions of the Federal Council are chaired by the Presi­ the SP (26.3%), the FDP (23.7%) and the CVP dent of the Swiss Confederation, or in his or her absence, by the (23.3%) each had two seats on the Federal Vice-President. They can last between one and ten hours. Council, while the SVP (11.6%) had one. The Departments and the Federal Chancellery prepare the This balance remained unchanged for 44 agenda, but it is the Federal Council that takes the decisions as a years. The 2003 National Council elections collegial body. Each member of the Federal Council has one vote. saw the SVP gain the largest share of the vote, The Federal Chancellor is entitled to propose motions and speak, thereby earning them a second seat in govern­ but has no vote. ment which they took from the CVP. However, in 2008 both SVP members of government shifted allegiance to the newly-founded BDP. Since the beginning of the year, the SVP has once again had a representative on the Feder­ al Council in the shape of Ueli Maurer, whose seat was vacated by Samuel Schmid. The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 43 ORGANISATION OF THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION OR Where the 36 000-strong federal staff work Staff: 3306 Staff: 2033 Staff: 2203 Staff: 11 595 Revenue: 82 139 200. – Revenue: 573 135 800. – Revenue: 130 850 100. – Revenue: 1 608 262 200. – Expenditure: 2 329 137 500. – Expenditure: 17 473 695 823. – Expenditure: 1 389 697 700. – Expenditure: 6 455 462 765. – Department Head: Department Head: Department Head: Department Head: Micheline Calmy -Rey Pascal Couchepin Eveline Widmer -Schlumpf Ueli Maurer Federal Department Federal Department Federal Department Federal Department of Defence, of Foreign Affairs FDFA of Home Affairs FDHA of Justice and Police FDJP Civil Protection and Sport DDPS General Secretariat General Secretariat General Secretariat General Secretariat Federal Office for Gender Federal Office Office of the Armed Forces State Secretariat Equality FOGE of Justice FOJ Attorney General Directorate of Federal Office Federal Office Political Affairs of Culture FOC of Police Fedpol Defence Directorate of Federal Office Public International Law Swiss National Library NL for Migration FOM Civil Protection Swiss Agency for Development Office of the Attorney General and Cooperation SDC Swiss Federal Archives SFA of Switzerland OAS Sport Directorate of Swiss Meteorological Federal Office Corporate Management Institute MeteoSwiss of Metrology Metas Armasuisse Swiss diplomatic and Federal Office Federal Institute consular missions abroad of Public Health FOPH of Intellectual Property IIP Federal Statistical Swiss Institute Office FSO for Comparative Law SICL Federal Social Federal Gaming Insurance Office FSIO Board FGB State Secretariat for Education and Research SER Federal Institutes of Technology Group ETH Group The colour -coded organisational units are Swiss Agency for Therapeutic mostly independent, which is why information on their staff, revenue and expenditure is Products Swissmedic not included in the respective department figures. 44 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide THE EXECUTIVE Staff: 8048 Staff: 1919 Staff: 1848 Staff: 195 Revenue: 59 511 922 749. – Revenue: 271 823 300. – Revenue: 815 297 100. – Revenue: 990 000. – Expenditure: 15 709 348 676. – Expenditure: 6 121 022 623. – Expenditure: 9 019 776 696. – Expenditure: 57 284 400. – Department Head: Department Head: Department Head: Federal Chancellor: Hans -Rudolf Merz Doris Leuthard Moritz Leuenberger Corina Casanova Federal Department Federal Department Federal Department of the Federal Chancellery FCh of Finance FDF of Economic Affairs FDEA Environment, Transport,
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