Guy Parmelin

Guy Parmelin (born 9 November 1959) is a Swiss politician serving as Vice President of Switzerland since 2020. A member of the Swiss People's Party, he has been a Member of the Federal Council since 2016. Parmelin has served as head of the Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research since 2019, previously heading the Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports.[1]

Guy Parmelin
Vice President of Switzerland
Assumed office
1 January 2020
PresidentSimonetta Sommaruga
Preceded bySimonetta Sommaruga
Head of the Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
Assumed office
1 January 2019
Preceded byJohann Schneider-Ammann
Head of the Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports
In office
1 January 2016 – 31 December 2018
Preceded byUeli Maurer
Succeeded byViola Amherd
Member of the Swiss Federal Council
Assumed office
1 January 2016
Preceded byEveline Widmer-Schlumpf
Personal details
Born (1959-11-09) 9 November 1959
Bursins, canton of Vaud, Switzerland
NationalitySwiss
Political partySwiss People's Party

Biography

Early political career

A master wine grower by trade, he was elected to the Grand Council of Vaud from 1994 until 2003, when he was elected to the National Council.[1] From 2000 to 2004, Parmelin was also president of the Swiss People's Party of the canton of Vaud. On 9 December 2015, he was elected by the Federal Assembly to the Federal Council in replacement of Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf.[2][3]

Member of the Federal Council

After the Swiss People's Party (SVP) won a record vote of over 29% in the 2015 general election, Federal Councillor Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf announced she would not run for reelection.[4][5] She had been expelled from the SVP shortly after her election, and she then founded the Conservative Democratic Party.

The SVP was expected to take Widmer-Schlumpf's seat; it put forward three candidates, including Parmelin, who was ultimately elected.[6] Parmelin became the first SVP member of the Federal Council from the French-speaking part of Switzerland.[6][7]

Parmelin was selected to become head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports, replacing fellow SVP-member Ueli Maurer, who became head of the Federal Department of Finance.[8] Starting in 2019, Parmelin became the head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research.

Notes and references
  1. (in French) Biography of Guy Parmelin on the website of the Swiss Parliament. (Page visited on 9 December 2015).
  2. (in French) Bernard Wuthrich, "Conseil fédéral: comment un Romand s’est retrouvé élu", Le Temps, Wednesday 9 December 2015 (page visited on 9 December 2015).
  3. (in French) Yves Petignat, "Le choix de Parmelin, un désaveu pour la direction de l'UDC", Le Temps, Wednesday 9 December 2015 (page visited on 9 December 2015).
  4. Jaberg, Samuel; Stephens, Thomas (28 October 2015). "Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf to Stand Down". Swissinfo. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  5. Geiser, Urs (19 October 2015). "Parliament Shifts to the Right". Swissinfo. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  6. Mombelli, Armando (10 December 2015). "People's Party Gains Second Seat in Cabinet". Swissinfo. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  7. Bradley, Simon (10 December 2015). "Wary Press Split Over Farmer Parmelin". Swissinfo. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  8. "People's Party finally nails finance minister job". Swissinfo. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
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Political offices
Preceded by
Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf		 Member of the Swiss Federal Council
2016–present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Ueli Maurer		 Head of the Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports
2016–2018		 Succeeded by
Viola Amherd
Preceded by
Johann Schneider-Ammann		 Head of the Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
2019–present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Simonetta Sommaruga		 Vice President of Switzerland
2020–present
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