Friedli rules herself out, widening Swiss cabinet race

Esther Friedli has ruled herself out of the race for a seat in Switzerland’s Federal Council for now, opening the field to other potential candidates, SRF reports. She said she wants to remain a member of the Council of States for the canton of St Gallen, where she believes she can make a difference, and continue running her restaurant business.

Friedli had been seen as a strong potential candidate. The 49-year-old is closely aligned with her party, well versed in policy and regarded as approachable. She would have been the youngest member of the current seven-person Federal Council, whose average age is about 63. Outgoing councillor Guy Parmelin recently called for a younger person to join the government.

Friedli is also well connected within her party and among farmers, including through her ties to farmers’ association president Markus Ritter. Her husband, Toni Brunner, is a former SVP president and a close ally of Blocher. Her decision does not rule her out of contention if another SVP seat becomes vacant. By then, debate over whether St Gallen should have two representatives on the Federal Council may have subsided, as Karin Keller-Sutter is likely to have left office.

Attention is now focused on Geneva National Council member Céline Amaudruz and Zurich cantonal government member Nathalie Rickli, a former National Council member. Neither has said whether she will run. SRF says other potential candidates had held back because they thought they would have little chance against Friedli.

Other names mentioned include SVP parliamentary group leader Thomas Aeschi, whose chances may have fallen after Martin Pfister, also from Zug, was elected; Thurgau National Council member Pascal Schmid, an asylum-policy specialist increasingly discussed within the party; and SVP National Council member and businessman Franz Grüter. Rickli has long been considered a possible Federal Council member and has executive experience. Amaudruz is seen as the strongest potential candidate from French-speaking Switzerland, though other parties regard her as a hardliner. Grüter is described as approachable by other parties and having a statesmanlike manner.

Potential candidates have until October 23 to register with their cantonal parties. The election of a new Federal Council member is expected on December 9.