Swiss President Guy Parmelin to step down at end of 2026

Swiss President Guy Parmelin announced Friday that he will step down from the Federal Council at the end of 2026, bringing his 11-year tenure in government to a close.

Parmelin said he informed his fellow federal councilors during their weekly meeting that he would leave office on Dec. 31.

"By then, it will have been 11 years since I was elected to this position, and the time has come for me to make way for new forces," he told a news conference in Bern.

Parmelin, 66, said he reflected during the summer break on what would be best for Switzerland and gradually concluded that leaving at the end of 2026 was "the most appropriate decision."

The Swiss People's Party politician was elected to the Federal Council in December 2015.

He headed the Defense Department from January 2016 before taking charge of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research in 2019.

He has served twice as Switzerland's rotating president, in 2021 and 2026.

Parmelin said Switzerland was well positioned to confront current global challenges but cautioned that "nothing is ever definitively acquired" as the world changes rapidly.

"With the war in the Middle East, the resurgence of protectionism, global geopolitical instability and its impact on the security of our supply, we find ourselves once again in a turbulent period, compounded by the new challenges posed by artificial intelligence and its consequences for our society and businesses," he said.

"Nevertheless, I believe I can say that Switzerland is well-positioned to meet these challenges, with sound finances, controlled debt, a high-performing education system, and innovative companies that, above all, invest in the future."

He warned that failing to adapt and take necessary decisions amid increasingly fierce global competition could leave Switzerland facing a "brutal awakening."