That changes for the new federal president: 12,000 francs more wages for Amherd

class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 fmXrkB”>

On January 1, Center Federal Councilor Viola Amherd (61) took over as head of government of Switzerland from SP Federal Councilor Alain Berset (51). For a year, the Valais woman will be the prima inter pares, the first among equals in the state government.

For Amherd, who has been Minister of Defense since 2019, the role of Federal President is new territory. However, she had worked at the presidential level before, albeit at a different level: from 2000 to 2012 she was mayor of Brig-Glis.

In 2024, she will now take up a position as Federal President, which entails all kinds of duties and privileges. These are recorded in the so-called Aide-mémoire for the members of the Federal Council.

A fixed expense allowance of 30,000 francs

From 2024, all federal councilors will receive a significant pay increase. This is because their salaries are adjusted for inflation in the same way as the wages of federal employees. On top of the previous basic salary there will be an inflation adjustment of one percent – ​​​​almost 4,700 francs.

The three women and four men do not have to starve: the gross annual income of a federal councilor this year is 472,959 francs. In addition, there is an annual expense allowance of 30,000 francs.

Amherd can also look forward to a further bonus of 12,000 francs in her presidential year. For the whole year, not per month.

Many representative tasks

Center Magistrate Amherd will represent the Federal Council at home and abroad in 2024. In principle, it can participate in all international conferences and accept invitations from heads of state and government.

Domestic duties typically include one or two state visits, as well as other official travel such as courtesy visits. The New Year’s reception for foreign ambassadors and two events with the diplomatic corps are also on the program. In addition, the Federal President also hands over the credentials to foreign ambassadors.

Lots of speeches

Some presidential tasks of a representative nature are also part of Amherd’s program: for example, the New Year’s speech, a presidential dinner with the Bundeshaus and the foreign press, the August 1 speech “to the Swiss people and to the Swiss abroad” or the speech on the Day of the Sick.

To ensure that the burden does not become too great, the Federal Council can also entrust its other members and the Chancellor with representative tasks.

In urgent cases she alone decides

As Federal President, the middle woman chairs the usually weekly meetings of the Federal Council and also mediates on controversial issues. Together with the Federal Chancellery, she is responsible for “optimal preparation of meetings for an efficient and results-oriented meeting process”. This is where the state government makes its decisions.

However, if an extraordinary decision-making procedure has to be carried out due to a special situation – such as during Corona times – the Federal President, in consultation with the Federal Chancellery, decides whether an extraordinary meeting or a telephone conference should be convened. ; or whether the whole thing can at best be tackled in a circular manner.

In urgent emergencies, Amherd may also make so-called presidential decisions himself, but must then have them approved by his colleagues.

Conference chair in Bern and extra walls

It also determines whether and when the meetings of the Federal Council are held extra muros – that is, outside Bern. Such gatherings have been a tradition since 2010 to express solidarity with different parts of the country, as a meeting with the population is usually part of the program.

For example, in 2019 we went to Zurich. However, in 2020 there was no such extra session due to Corona. In 2021, the Federal Council had a meeting in Lucerne, and in 2022, then Federal President Ignazio Cassis (62) planned two meetings of the Federal Council outside Bern – in Geneva and Graubünden. Last year Berset went to the canton of Zurich again. Let’s see where tradition will take Amherd this year.

Travel of the federal councilor to Valais

Once a year, the Federal President becomes a tour guide. Namely when the annual trip of the Federal Council is coming up. At least in the first year of the presidency, she introduces her colleagues to their canton of origin. So Amherd will lead her friends to Valais. Should she one day take over the federal presidency for the second time, she will have a free choice of where she goes.

The Federal President also has a particularly nice privilege: she can donate 5,000 francs from the presidential fund “in support of people in need or charitable organizations” – entirely at her discretion.

Source:Blick