Sommaruga’s resignation changes Federal Council elections

Several people from the Justice Department of Karin Keller-Sutter (58) say: She wants to go. The boss flirts with a change of department. With the resignation of Energy Minister Simonetta Sommaruga (62) the chances of the Federal Councilor of the FDP of St. Gallen to run a new store from next year are greater.

The resignation of the Bernese SP Federal Council opens up new possibilities in the divisional division. After all, two important departments will be released: finance and the energy and environment department.

Many factors count

The double vacancy also changes the dynamics of the Federal Council elections themselves, so there is more to it than that. When the state and state councilors meet on the morning of December 7, everyone knows that the election to the United Federal Assembly will determine their chances of ever running into state government.

It is considered a foregone conclusion that the SP will not propose a man. And from SVP circles it can be heard that the only candidate, Michèle Blöchliger (55) does not make it on the ticket. It is also clear that the Greens will not compete.

All Future Federal Councilors

So when 246 prospective federal councilors first decide on Ueli Maurer’s (71) successor from 8 a.m., they know they’re blocking their own chances by choosing a younger candidate like Hans-Ueli Vogt (52). Heinz Tännler (62), ten years his senior, will probably only be on the chair for a few years. Similar considerations could apply in the race for Sommaruga’s successor for the election of SP councilor Eva Herzog (60).

In the case of the SVP, however, it is still very likely that Albert Rösti (55) from Bern will go to the Federal Council for the SVP. His chances and those of second Berner SVP candidate Werner Salzmann (59) have increased with Sommaruga’s resignation – because the argument that there is already a Berner in the Bundesrat no longer stands.

Rösti’s choice, in turn, makes it unlikely that a Bernese Social Democrat will end up on the SP ticket. It is unlikely that two Berners will be chosen in one day. But not impossible: on the same day as Sommaruga, the Bernese Johann Schneider-Ammann (70) was also chosen.

Departmental distribution as a thriller

However, the division of divisions, which takes place behind closed doors, is at least as exciting as the elections to the Federal Council, which Switzerland can follow live. The two new members must take over the divisions that the other five leave to them. But agreements between the parties can help.

For example, if the newly elected Federal Councilor Albert Rösti, as an experienced energy politician, wants to take over Sommaruga’s environmental and energy department, it would be beneficial if the SVP would first enter into talks with the FDP.

If the FDP wants to succeed Ms. Keller-Sutter Maurer in the finance department, both can help each other: With four members of the Federal Council, the SVP and FDP have the majority in government.

However, that does not bode well for the new SP law councilor: if the two come to an agreement, she will have to deal with the next wave of asylum seekers at the Justice and Police.