The Federal Government Autor(en): [s.n.] Objekttyp: Article Zeitschrift: The Swiss observer : the journal of the Federation of Swiss Societies in the UK Band (Jahr): - (1967) Heft 1516 PDF erstellt am: 10.10.2021 Persistenter Link: http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-687603 Nutzungsbedingungen Die ETH-Bibliothek ist Anbieterin der digitalisierten Zeitschriften. Sie besitzt keine Urheberrechte an den Inhalten der Zeitschriften. Die Rechte liegen in der Regel bei den Herausgebern. Die auf der Plattform e-periodica veröffentlichten Dokumente stehen für nicht-kommerzielle Zwecke in Lehre und Forschung sowie für die private Nutzung frei zur Verfügung. Einzelne Dateien oder Ausdrucke aus diesem Angebot können zusammen mit diesen Nutzungsbedingungen und den korrekten Herkunftsbezeichnungen weitergegeben werden. Das Veröffentlichen von Bildern in Print- und Online-Publikationen ist nur mit vorheriger Genehmigung der Rechteinhaber erlaubt. 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MARIANN MEIER WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF MEMBERS OF THE SWISS COLONY IN GREAT BRITAIN Te/ep/ione: Clerkenwell 2321/2. Published Twice Monthly at 23 Leonard Street, E.C.2. Te/egrams: Paperwyse Stock London Vol. 53 No. 1516 FRIDAY, 27th JANUARY 1967 THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Historical References Dr. Celio is the 80th Federal Councillor and sixth Ticinese. When the first Government was elected, it According to the Swiss Constitution, Parliament elects the seemed natural that all linguistic parts of the country Government, i.e. Federal Council, consisting of seven should be represented. Next to Jonas Furrer (Zurich), members. The Federal Council fulfils at one and the Ulrich Ochsenbein (Berne), Josef Munzinger (Solothurn), same time the functions of a Government and a Chief Friedrich Frey (Aargau), Wilhelm Matthias Naeff (St. Gall) of State. The members are elected every four years by and Henry Druey (Vaud), the Ticinese Stefano Franscini the two Chambers (National Council and Council of sat on the Federal Council. When the first changes took States) meeting jointly as Federal Assembly (" Vereinigte place, it was seen to that the most populated Cantons Bundesversammlung "). (Zurich, Berne, Vaud), North-Eastern, North-Western and When the Federal Constitution was created in 1848, Southern Switzerland, were considered as much as pos- the election of the Government was burdened with a sible. The Government then consisted of Radicals. And minimum of regulations. But then the politicians began it was not until 1891, when a member of the Conservative to " improve " procedure, and by now precedence has left opposition was elected with Federal Councillor Zemp its mark. The law says that a Canton may only have from Lucerne. one member on the Federal Council at a time. But As regards the Ticino, after Franscini and Pioda, there since then it has been established that the large Cantons was no representative for forty years from 1864 onwards. Zurich, Berne and Vaud, the so-called " Vorortskantone ", In 1911, one of the great Swiss Statesmen, Giuseppe are entitled to a seat each permanently. Then the rights Motta, began his remarkable career as member of the of the minorities had to be considered, quite rightly so, Government for 28 years and as excellent representative like those of the Italian-speaking part of the country and of Southern Switzerland. minor denominational groups. Next, the idea was carried Federal Councillors E. Celio and G. Lepori were the even further, and the politcal Parties were brought in as next members, and since 1959, the Italian-speaking part well. has once more been without a seat in the Swiss Cabinet. In December 1959, four new Federal candidates had to be elected, and the so-called " Magic Formula " of a " Auslandschweizer " in the Government 2:2:2:1 Party allocation was introduced. At the time, it coincided with an excellent crop of candidates. Since At this point, it may be interesting to recall that a then, matters have become more complicated as was shown number of Federal Councillors had at some time lived when, on 27th September 1962, a new member had to be abroad and were in fact AMA/audsc/iwcizcr. The periodical elected to succeed Federal Councillor Bourgknecht. It of the Swiss abroad, " Echo ", had an interesting survey was an " outsider ", not an official Party nominee who in its last issue showing that the majority of the eighty made the grade, Monsieur Roger Bonvin. men who have governed the Confederation since 1848, had On 6th December 1965, a successor to the retiring spent some time abroad before being elected to such a member Prof. Dr. F. T. Wahlen had to be chosen. Accord- high position. Already in the first co/feg/nm, there were ing to the unwritten law, the new man had to be Bernese not only men who had studied abroad, but two genuine and a member of the BGB (Farmers', Tradesmen's and TM.v/andAc/i: Friedrich Frey, born at Lindau, who Citizens' Party). The election was a foregone conclusion, worked in Paris, and Stefano Franscini who was educated and the young Bernese, R<?g;'erw/2gsrat Rudolf Gnaegi, was in Milan where he was a teacher for a time. Federal put in office. Councillor Ruchonnet (Vaud) whose mother was English, With the recent resignation of Federal Councillor spent part of his childhood in England and later worked Chaudet (who, incidentallly, has left for Pakistan and India in a London lawyer's office. One of the best examples on an F.A.O. mission), the Canton of Vaud naturally is that of Emil Frey (Baselland) who worked on a farm claimed another representative. But the rights of the in U.S.A. for many years, took part in the American War Italian-speaking Canton were deemed important enough of Secession as Captain and became the first Swiss Ambas- to be considered, and Parliament elected the Ticinese sador in Washington from 1883 to 1888. lawyer Dr. Nello Celio. Thus the traditional claim by Many more examples are given in the said article in Vaud has been squashed, and the largest French-speaking the " Echo ", and it makes interesting reading to hear of Canton has now no member in the Government. Even how men gathered valuable experience abroad before the justified demand that the Romand/e should have two reaching prominence at home. It is also significant that seats, was ignored. quite a number of French-speaking Federal Councillors 52276 THE SWISS OBSERVER 27th January 1967 had at one time studied in Germany or Vienna, so in our present, took place in Berne on 3rd January. The main own time Councillors Pilet, Petitpierre and Bourgknecht. item on the agenda was the distribution of Departments, Our present members Federal Councillors Spuehler and which was announced afterwards by the President. There Tschudi studied in Paris. It is not accidental that one had been no re-distribution, and Federal Councillor Celio of the greatest promoters of the Constitutional Article for took over Monsieur Chaudet's succession as head of the the Swiss Abroad was the former Federal Councillor Military and Deputy of the Political Departments. The Wahlen. He had spent nearly two decades of his active remainder of the Departments are still allocated as fol- life outside Switzerland, seven years in Canada and ten lows : in Washington and Rome (FAO). This is a most incom- Political Department: (Foreign Office) F.C. W. plete reference to an interesting survey which illuminates Spuehler, Department of the Interior: F.C. H. P. Tschudi the important fact, that to live and work abroad broadens (Deputy: F.C. von Moos), Justice and Police: F.C. L. the mind and enables men (and women) to study and von Moos (R. Bonvin), Finance and Customs: Federal absorb matters which time another at one or may help President Bonvin (H. P. Tschudi), Public Economy : F.C. them to serve a wider community. H. Schaffner (W. Spuehler), Communications and Energy Production: F.C. R. Gnaegi (H. Schaffner). Rotation of Presidency The reasons given for adhering to the stato qua were Another unwritten law concerns the rotation of the that it took some time to get familiar with the work of a office of President of the Confederation. It is the usage Department which is a complicated administrative body, of seniority which is adhered to in determining the choice. and that some important matters which were at the moment A newly-elected Federal Councillor will have to wait his being studied would suffer delays if heads of Departments turn until all those elected before him have held the office were changed. (Federal Councillor Wahlen's view in this of President once. This law, again, is not nailed down matter had been the opposite, viz. that frequent changes anywhere. When the Federal Constitution came into were desirable.) the honour to being, high was only given leading personali- The Press has reacted unfavourably throughout. ties the " in the Government, mainly of largest Vororts- There has been and outbursts that the Govern- kantone ". Federal Councillor Jonas Forrer who died in anger even ment had missed a first-class chance to the right man office at Christmas 1861, Federal President four times put was in the right place.