Aeschi reshapes race to succeed Parmelin on Swiss Federal Council

Thomas Aeschi has announced his candidacy to succeed Guy Parmelin on Switzerland’s Federal Council, giving the race a prominent contender, SRF reports in an analysis by Rafael von Matt. Aeschi made the announcement in an interview with SonntagsBlick, two weeks after the SVP’s internal deadline for declarations of interest.

The 47-year-old Zug politician, who leads the SVP parliamentary group, is considered highly likely to secure a place on his party’s official ticket. His chances of being elected by the Federal Assembly are less certain.

Aeschi is seen as a hardliner who strongly represents SVP positions and runs the parliamentary group tightly, a style that has repeatedly drawn resistance from other parties. A scuffle with police during a visit by Ukraine’s parliamentary speaker two years ago also unsettled many at the Federal Parliament in Bern.

His expertise and command of policy issues are widely recognised, but the SRF analysis says he lacks the personal warmth that can help a candidate win support. His entry also means the field now includes a leading figure from the party, making him the likely favourite of the SVP leadership to succeed Parmelin.

Aeschi’s candidacy complicates efforts by the French-speaking wing of the SVP to keep the seat in that region after Parmelin leaves. Representatives there have argued that it should remain in French-speaking Switzerland. The candidacies of Céline Amaudruz and Pierre Alain Schnegg may now face a tougher path to the party ticket.

Aeschi cannot assume victory, however. He previously ran for the Federal Council in 2015 and was not elected. The vote to choose Parmelin’s successor is scheduled for December 9.