Federal Supreme Court Federal parliamentarians do not have to look for a job before new elections
According to the unemployment insurance fund's logic, a National Councillor who was voted out of office in 2023 should have been looking for a job instead of campaigning for election. The Federal Supreme Court has now ruled that the woman was wrongly deprived of her daily allowance.
19.01.2026, 12:00
SDA
The former National Councillor from Geneva had her unemployment benefits cut for nine days because she was unable to show that she had made sufficient efforts to find a job in the three months prior to the end of her political mandate.
This was inadmissible, as the Federal Supreme Court stated in a ruling published on Monday. Members of parliament cannot be required to waive their guaranteed political rights because they are threatened with unemployment if they are not elected.
Furthermore, members of parliament would have to behave inconsistently towards potential employers. It is hardly possible to conceal a candidacy. And so, contrary to their intention, they would have to pretend to take up the position even if they were re-elected.
