This is how much Sommaruga will receive after her resignation

Outgoing federal councilor Simonetta Sommaruga (62) can look forward to an annual pension of approximately CHF 220,000 from 2023. The pension of a former federal councilor is half the income in office. This is currently just under CHF 455,000 gross.

Members of the state government, federal judges, and federal chancellors receive a pension in lieu of a pension. This is because elected officials have no pension and after dismissal or resignation have no income and no pension.

Retired after four years in office

However, former federal councilors only receive a pension of approximately CHF 220,000 if they do not engage in any other lucrative activity after their resignation. This regulation applies if a member of the Federal Council has been in office for at least four years.

If a federal councilor has to resign for health reasons before the end of four years, the financial delegation of the federal councilors can still grant him or her a full pension after considering the situation.

Blocher’s pension caused a stir

Christoph Blocher (81) caused a stir about the pension. After he was not re-elected in 2007, he initially declined. In July 2020, however, he made an additional claim of 2.7 million francs. He said he was entitled to the money and wanted to donate it rather than leave it to the state.

Finally, the Bundesrat has decided to grant Blocher a pension of five years retroactively, or approximately CHF 1.1 million. In the future, the state government wants to completely exclude later payments.

looking for an alternative

This affair prompted the Zugse Central Council of States Peter Hegglin (61) to advance. He demands that alternatives to the current system be shown. The Federal Council is skeptical after the accompanying report is available in December 2021.

If members of the state government and other elected magistrates had to pay to the federal pension fund, those affected alone would not be adequately protected, according to the report. The term of office is too short to save the required capital.

Pension protects the independence of federal councilors

In the event of a system change, the National Council and the Council of States would have to take a number of fundamental decisions. Parliament should, for example, decide on the level of federal “employer contributions”, the earliest possible retirement age and whether there should be different pension levels.

The current system, on the other hand, is “sleek and easy to understand,” according to the report’s conclusion. And further: “For the magistrates, this system results in good financial planning for the time after they have left their position. A certain amount of income after the term of office also supports the independence of the civil servants. » (SDA/tom)