{
  "id": 17531857,
  "title": "How you will definitely not become a member of the Federal Council - and why that might be better this way",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/01/wie-sie-garantiert-nicht-bundesrat-werden-und-warum-das-vielleicht",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-01T04:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "NZZ Wirtschaft",
    "slug": "nzz-wirtschaft",
    "url": "https://www.nzz.ch/wirtschaft/wie-sie-garantiert-nicht-bundesrat-werden-und-warum-das-vielleicht-besser-so-ist-ld.10046891"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "The Swiss Federal Assembly will elect a successor to Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin next month. A recent study analyzed the personalities of nearly 100 Federal Council candidates from 1982 to 2020 and found that affable individuals have a better chance of being elected. To avoid being elected, one can be unfriendly, an ideologue, or overly eager, as these traits tend to deter voters. The Swiss system of government values power distribution and liberal society, where leaders are expected to be humble and not dominant. A study found that elected leaders tend to die 2.7 years earlier than their defeated opponents.",
  "summary": "A guide to not voting.",
  "key_points": [
    "Don't greet in person; use a gruff tone to avoid Federal Council election.",
    "Represent a party line without compromise to earn points among supporters.",
    "Don't rush; declare interest immediately only if you're sure to secure the position."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The Swiss preference for approachable, non-confrontational leaders prioritizes social stability and power distribution over the dominant personalities often required to navigate increasingly complex and demanding modern political landscapes.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}