Parmelin to leave Swiss Federal Council at year-end

Swiss Economics Minister Guy Parmelin will resign from the Federal Council at the end of December, after 11 years in office, he announced in Bern on Friday, according to SRF. The 66-year-old said he wanted to make way for younger people.

Parmelin said his decision was not related to his health, dismissing speculation about his condition. “I have assessed my overall situation and reached this conclusion,” he said.

His second year as president has included major issues for his economics department, among them a US tariff dispute and parliamentary consideration of an agreement package with the EU. This week, he successfully defended a compromise on wage protection negotiated by social partners in the Council of States.

Parmelin said there was no perfect time to resign, but several important matters had been completed or were progressing well. “Nobody is irreplaceable. New, young forces are needed now to continue the work,” he said.

The Swiss People’s Party politician from Bursins in the canton of Vaud has been a member of the Federal Council since 2016. He was elected on December 9, 2015, defeating fellow party candidates Thomas Aeschi and Norman Gobbi.

After leaving office, Parmelin will be entitled to an annual gross pension of 239,083 Swiss francs, half the current salary for a Federal Council member, provided he does not take up another lucrative job. He will no longer be entitled to a state-funded car or office space.