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Switzerland’s President Guy Parmelin has announced his departure from the Federal Council, effective December 31, 2026, marking the end of an 11-year tenure in government. The 66-year-old made the announcement at a press conference in Bern on October 2, according to AFP, stating that the time had come to make room for fresh leadership as the country navigates significant challenges.
Parmelin, who hails from the French-speaking canton of Vaud and represents the hard-right Swiss People’s Party, acknowledged feeling "a certain weariness" but was emphatic that his decision was not driven by medical concerns. As the longest-serving member of Switzerland’s seven-person Federal Council, he emphasized the importance of renewal during what he characterized as a period of considerable uncertainty.
The outgoing leader had recently taken centre stage in managing Switzerland’s economic relationship with the United States. After President Donald Trump imposed 39-percent tariffs on Swiss goods in August 2025, Parmelin made three trips to Washington to negotiate relief. Those efforts culminated in a declaration of intent to reduce tariffs to 15 percent, with Switzerland committing to a $200 billion investment in the United States.
Parmelin joined the Federal Council in 2016 as defence minister and shifted to the economy portfolio in 2019. He previously served as president in 2021, when he hosted a summit in Geneva between Russian President Vladimir Putin and then-US President Joe Biden. Under Switzerland’s rotating presidency system, the position moves annually among the seven Federal Council members, with the role going to whoever has served longest without holding it.
Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis will assume the presidency in 2027. Parmelin’s successor from the Swiss People’s Party will be chosen by parliament on December 9, with candidates having until October 23 to declare their interest. Before his departure, Parmelin is scheduled to undertake a three-day state visit to India beginning Monday.
Switzerland’s Federal Council operates under a decades-old power-sharing arrangement known as "the magic formula," which distributes the seven government seats among the four main political parties in a 2-2-2-1 configuration. The Swiss presidency rotates annually among council members and is largely ceremonial, though the president chairs meetings and represents the country in major domestic and international matters.
Sources and attribution
- Jamaica Observer
- Swiss president to quit government
- Swiss President Guy Parmelin to step down and make way …
- Switzerland facing 39% US tariff as president leaves …
- Switzerland wins US tariff rate cut to 15%, pledges $200 …
- Joint Statement on a Framework for a United States …
- Swiss firms invest $27 billion in US after tariff deal, NZZ am …
- Presidential year 2021
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