Federal Presidency Guy Parmelin's second presidency could be a farewell tour
Economics Minister Guy Parmelin has been elected President of the Swiss Confederation for the second time. For the 66-year-old from Vaud, the year in office could be a kind of farewell tour - and crown his recent political successes surrounding the US customs deal.
10.12.2025, 12:27
SDA
The United Federal Assembly elected the SVP Federal Councillor as "Primus inter Pares" (first among equals) on Wednesday with a record result of 203 votes. Over the next year, Parmelin will chair the Federal Council meetings, mediate in contentious issues and be the face of the entire Federal Council.
The head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) is used to the latter. In recent weeks and months, he has often been in the spotlight in the US customs dispute - and, unlike the current President of the Confederation Karin Keller-Sutter, has apparently found a connection to the innermost circle of the US government around Donald Trump.
In mid-November, Parmelin traveled to Washington for a lightning visit and was able to present a legally non-binding declaration of intent to the business community a day later. This is intended to reduce the additional tariffs unilaterally introduced by the USA on many goods from 39 to 15 percent.
As a pragmatist and supporter of a policy of small steps, Parmelin welcomed this first step in front of the media. "The Federal Council's priority was to give some Swiss industry breathing space," he said. His presidential year will now focus on transforming the deal into a legally binding agreement - a no less challenging task.
Against his own party in the EU dossier
Another important topic that will occupy the winegrower from Bursins VD in 2026 is bilateral relations with Brussels. The SVP politician will still have to defend the national government's position on the package of agreements with the EU against his own party. Last month, he spoke of "great joy" at the signing of the agreement on the EU programs, which, among other things, brings Switzerland back into contact with European research funds.
The Federal Council is also at odds with the SVP with regard to the "No 10 Million Switzerland" initiative, which is likely to be voted on next year. Accepting the referendum would jeopardize the free movement of persons and thus also the bilateral path with the EU.
In 2021 - his first year as president - Parmelin had to inform the EU leadership in Brussels that Switzerland was unilaterally abandoning negotiations on a framework agreement - a delicate moment. The Federal Council wants to avoid a second shock as far as possible. To do so, the entire Federal Council, and above all President Guy Parmelin, must convince Parliament and the electorate of the EU package.
Juggling interests
In parallel to his efforts to establish regulated relations with the EU and the USA, Parmelin has always advocated a diversification of Switzerland's trading partners in recent years. The Minister of Economic Affairs made the conclusion and modernization of free trade agreements a priority - with great success in some cases.
After 16 years of negotiations, he signed the free trade agreement between the EFTA states and India in New Delhi in March 2024. The day after, Parmelin declared: "I am proud to have signed this agreement after a long and arduous process."
The Minister of Economic Affairs had also successfully defended the free trade agreement with Indonesia before the Swiss people in March 2021. This was followed by further agreements with the Mercosur states, Malaysia, Thailand, Chile and Turkey. It has made less progress with China and Japan, with whom it is discussing updates to existing agreements.
On the one hand, the left is demanding that the agreements must meet criteria relating to sustainability and human rights. On the other hand, the centre-right is demanding as few conditions as possible for companies. And then there is the farmers' lobby, which warns against unfair competition with Swiss products.
Against "too much paperwork"
Parmelin is also concerned with the interests of agriculture in domestic policy. The debates on the future direction of agricultural policy have sometimes been emotional in recent years. This is likely to remain the case.
Parmelin, who trained as a winegrower, is keen not to fall out with the agricultural and food industry. He has already brought new environmental regulations before parliament several times, but was not very disappointed when the councils subsequently passed watered-down bills.
Together with the industry, the Minister of Economic Affairs is also working to reduce bureaucracy - a demand that was voiced in particular during the farmers' protests at the beginning of 2024. "Too much paperwork": this criticism has also been voiced within the business community. Parmelin says he understands this criticism. The Federal Council is keen to ease the burden on the economy as quickly as possible.
Restraint instead of offensive
During his first year as president, Parmelin proved his worth at an international level in particular when he received the then US President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Geneva. On the steps of the Villa La Grange, he appeared relaxed and demonstrated his diplomatic skills by greeting the two statesmen in their own language, thus brushing aside any mockery of his poor language skills.
Parmelin also showed his statesmanship during the coronavirus pandemic. With his confident, good-natured manner, the Vaud native presented himself as open, uncomplicated and close to the people. Despite his hesitation in cases of economic hardship, he was praised for his quick reaction at the beginning of the crisis. In contrast to his then party and Federal Council colleague Ueli Maurer, Parmelin never criticized the principle of collegiality in the national government and pleaded for a calming of the situation.
Parmelin also mastered the sometimes emotional voting campaigns on the environmental initiatives with aplomb. Before a possible energy crisis in 2022, the Minister of Economic Affairs promised the population: "The state will not check with people to see if their heating is above 19 degrees."
On other issues, the Minister of Economic Affairs was more reserved, for example on sanctions against Russia or on housing and tenancy law. There were phases during his time in office when Parmelin was less publicly present.
Forgotten years in the DDPS
There were phases in which the media speculated about his resignation. Back pain, a fall in his office and the fact that he had reached normal retirement age fuelled such rumours, especially in the 2023 election year. Parmelin was forced to deny media reports about his alleged imminent resignation.
Since then, political observers have assumed that Parmelin will step down after his second presidency and before the federal elections in the fall of 2027. For some time now, the Vaud native has been the longest-serving member of the government.
Parmelin's first years as a Federal Councillor have almost been forgotten. After his election as successor to BDP Federal Councillor Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf in December 2015, he headed the Department of Defense (DDPS) like many SVP Federal Councillors before him. He immediately marked the terrain by successfully increasing the military budget. You could say that Parmelin was ahead of his time in this case.
