Politics Federal Council photo shows national government surrounded by thousands of portraits
The official Federal Council photo for 2025 shows the members of the national government and the Federal Chancellor surrounded by portraits of over a thousand people. The picture is intended to illustrate the uniqueness of Swiss democracy.
31.12.2024, 12:00
SDA
"The people take part in democratic decisions and decide. The Federal Council acts in their interests," future Federal President Karin Keller-Sutter is quoted as saying in the press release accompanying the photo.
For the new Federal Council photo, St. Gallen photographer Arthur Gamsa traveled all over Switzerland and approached thousands of people. In each canton, he photographed at least 40 people who were willing to take part.
A mosaic was created from the 1052 portraits, which was combined with the portraits of the seven members of the Federal Council and the Federal Chancellor. The bust portraits of the federal government with Keller-Sutter in the center take up more than half of the picture.
The photographer explained his idea by saying that he wanted to emphasize that the institution of the Federal Council emerges from the participation of the citizens. Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter chose Arthur Gamsa's concept. She will become President of the Swiss Confederation in 2025, succeeding Viola Amherd.
