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Election of the Federal Council and farewell to the Federal Assembly
The Federal Assembly re-elects the Federal Council for the legislative term. Alain Berset, who is not standing again, takes his leave before the votes. Beat Jans, from Basel, is elected to succeed him; Viola Amherd is elected President of the Swiss Confederation for 2024.
For the 175th anniversary of the Constitution, he offers “a eulogy of complexity and a eulogy of slowness”: be wary of simplistic solutions, take the time for lasting ones. He thanks Parliament for twelve years and 29 votes: “Nein, wir waren nicht immer einig. Gott sei Dank!” He also speaks in Italian and Romansh.
He concludes with the first presidents of the Confederation, Furrer, Druey, Munzinger, all of whom died in office: “Zu Lebzeiten abtreten zu können, ist also eine ziemlich erfreuliche Sache…”
Speeches on this site
- Adieux à l’Assemblée fédérale (in French, French-language page)
Sources