Geneva's Céline Amaudruz bids to succeed Guy Parmelin on the Swiss Federal Council
Geneva National Councillor Céline Amaudruz announced on Thursday, 15 October, that she is a candidate to succeed Guy Parmelin on the Federal Council, a seat Geneva has not held since 2011.
Candidacy announced
Céline Amaudruz, a National Councillor from Geneva and vice-president of the SVP Switzerland, announced her candidacy for the Federal Council on Thursday, 15 October, at a media conference. She is seeking the seat that Guy Parmelin is vacating. She said she reached the decision after consulting her husband and her party.
In her remarks she set out her approach to the office.
If the Federal Assembly grants me its trust, I will exercise this office with respect for the institutions and collegiality.
Geneva and the Romandie
RTS reports that Geneva has had no representative on the Federal Council since Micheline Calmy-Rey left in 2011, and expectations in the canton were high ahead of the announcement. Watson describes Amaudruz as the figure of the party in French-speaking Switzerland. She has sat in the National Council for 15 years and is nationally connected through her vice-presidency, which is why she is regarded as the favourite among the French-speaking SVP representatives.
When asked about her motivation, she offered a short statement of principle.
To be able to serve Switzerland, one must love Switzerland.
Other names in the race
Several SVP figures have ruled themselves out. Party president Marcel Dettling and Vaud National Councillor Sylvain Freymond had already said they would not seek a seat, and Council of States member Esther Friedli from St. Gallen has also declined. Many voices, according to RTS, argue that the time has come for the SVP to elect the first female federal councillor in its history. Zurich state councillor and former National Councillor Natalie Rickli is also among the names mentioned.
