SP federal councilor Alain Berset (50) took over the post of head of government in Switzerland from FDP magistrate Ignazio Cassis (61) on 1 January. For a year, the man from Freiburg will be primus inter pares, first among equals in the state government.
For Berset, who has been a member of the Federal Council since 2012, the role of Federal President is not new territory. As early as 2018, he headed the governing body. In 2023, he is expected to hold another position that entails all kinds of tasks and privileges. These are laid down in the so-called aide-mémoires for the members of the Bundesrat.
30,000 francs flat-rate expense allowance
From 2023, the Federal Council members will receive a substantial salary increase. Because their salary is adjusted in line with federal employee wages for inflation. On top of the current base salary, there will be a cost of living adjustment of 2.5 percent – over 11,000 francs!
The three women and four men therefore do not have to starve: the gross annual income of a federal councilor will amount to CHF 468,275.70 next year. There is also an annual expense allowance of CHF 30,000.
Berset can also look forward to another CHF 12,000 grant in his year as president. For the whole year, not per month.
Many representative tasks
Alain Berset will represent the Federal Council in 2023 at home and abroad. In principle, he can participate in all international conferences and accept invitations from heads of state and government. Compared to previous years, the corona pandemic is likely to have less impact on travel planning this time.
Household duties usually also include one or two state visits, as well as other official travel, such as courtesy calls. The New Year’s reception for the foreign ambassadors and two events with the diplomatic corps are also on the agenda. There is also the presentation of credentials to foreign ambassadors, which is also carried out by the Federal President.
Lots of speeches
Some presidential duties of a representative nature are also part of Berset’s program: such as the New Year’s speech, a presidential dinner with both the Federal Palace press 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.
In order not to make the burden too heavy, the Bundesrat can also entrust its other members and the Chancellor with representative tasks.
In urgent cases, he decides alone
As Federal President, the SP man leads the meetings of the Federal Council, which are usually weekly. Together with the Federal Chancellery, he is responsible for “optimum preparation of meetings for efficient and result-oriented meetings”. 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 in times of Corona, the Federal President decides in consultation with the Federal Chancellery whether an extraordinary meeting or a conference call should be convened; or that the whole thing can at most be handled circularly.
In urgent emergencies, Berset can also make so-called presidential decisions himself, but he must then have them approved by his colleagues.
Chairing meetings in Bern and extra muros
It also determines whether and when meetings of the Federal Council are held extra muros, i.e. outside Bern. Such meetings have been a tradition since 2010 to express the connection with the different parts of the country, as a meeting with the population is usually part of the programme.
For example, in 2019 we went to Zurich. In 2020, on the other hand, there was no such extra session due to Corona. In 2021, the Bundesrat enjoyed a session in Lucerne, and in 2022, Federal President Cassis planned two Bundesrat sessions outside Bern this year: in April he had an extra muros session in the canton of Geneva and in October in the canton of Geneva. Grisons. Let’s see where tradition will take Berset this year.
Berset has free choice of travel
Once a year, the Federal President becomes the tour guide. That’s when the Federal Council’s annual trip is due. At least in the first year of his presidency, he introduced his colleagues to his canton of origin. In 2018, Berset took his Gspänli to the canton of Friborg. In 2023, the Social Democrat now has the free choice of where to go.
The Federal President also has a particularly nice privilege: he can donate 5,000 francs from the presidential fund “in support of people in need or charities” at his discretion.