Switzerland's President Guy Parmelin says he will quit government at end of year

Swiss President Guy Parmelin announced on Friday that he will resign from his ministerial role at the end of the year, following a decade-long tenure. The presidency of Switzerland rotates annually among the seven members of the government, known as the Federal Council, with Parmelin being the longest-serving minister. He informed his colleagues of his decision during a press conference in Bern, stating that it is time to bring new energy to the role during these times of great uncertainty.

Parmelin admitted to feeling a sense of weariness but denied stepping down due to medical reasons. As a pragmatist, he had made more progress with US President Donald Trump than his predecessor, Karin Keller-Sutter. Trump imposed high tariffs on Swiss goods in August 2025, prompting Parmelin to visit Washington multiple times to negotiate a reduction.

They eventually agreed to cut tariffs to 15%, with Switzerland investing $200 billion in the United States. Parmelin, a winegrower from the French-speaking canton of Vaud, is a member of the hard-right Swiss People's Party. He previously served as president in 2021 and played a key role in hosting a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden in Geneva.

The president of the Swiss Confederation is the first among equals on the Federal Council and typically represents the country in major matters. Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis will assume the presidency in 2027. Parmelin joined the Federal Council in 2016 as defense minister and has been serving as economy minister since 2019. The Federal Council's seven seats are distributed among the four main political parties under a decades-old agreement known as the "magic formula."

Parmelin's successor will come from the Swiss People's Party. Candidates have until October 23 to step forward, and parliament will choose the new president on December 9.