The announcement

The cantonal SVP in Bern said on Thursday, 22 October, that Pierre Alain Schnegg, president of the Bernese government, is available to succeed Guy Parmelin on the Federal Council. The bid was announced by party communiqué late on Thursday evening. Schnegg heads the health, social affairs and integration directorate in Bern. Parmelin, 66, is stepping down from the Federal Council, which opens the race for his seat.

The party's statement presents Schnegg as an experienced French-speaking executive politician with a reputation for organisation and leadership.

“An experienced French-speaking executive politician who has made a name for himself as a well-organised doer with strong leadership skills.”

The party argues that a strong Romandy presence in government is one of Switzerland's assets, and that several qualified French-speaking candidates give the best chance of electing a French-speaking councillor.

The field of candidates

Two national councillors have already declared: Céline Amaudruz of Geneva, 47, and Rémy Wyssmann of Solothurn, 59. Le Temps describes Schnegg's bid as an alternative to Amaudruz, although the party insisted it was not a direct attack on her. Blick expects more names by Friday, naming Michael Graber of Valais (45), Jean-Pierre Gallati of Aargau (60) and SVP parliamentary group leader Thomas Aeschi (47). Blick adds that Aeschi would be making his second attempt after 2015. RTS lists further possible candidates, including Nicolas Kolly, Franz Ruppen, Thomas Matter and Monika Rüegger, while eleven figures have ruled out a run, among them Natalie Rickli, Magdalena Martullo-Blocher and Marcel Dettling.

Michael Graber45

Céline Amaudruz47

Thomas Aeschi47

Rémy Wyssmann59

Jean-Pierre Gallati60

Pierre Alain Schnegg63

Michael Graber

45 years

Céline Amaudruz

47 years

Thomas Aeschi

47 years

Rémy Wyssmann

59 years

Jean-Pierre Gallati

60 years

Pierre Alain Schnegg

63 years

Data from the article text

Who Schnegg is

Schnegg was born on 13 December 1962 in Bévilard in the Bernese Jura and lives in Champoz. He is 63 now and turns 64 in December, a few days after the Federal Council election, Blick reports. He joined the SVP only in 2013, was elected to the Grand Council in 2014 and took the French-speaking Jura bernois seat in the cantonal government in 2016. Le Temps reports that his election ended ten years of red-green majority in the government, and that he was re-elected in March 2026 for a third term. He is a former entrepreneur and chaired the board of Hôpital du Jura Bernois SA from 2009 to 2016. Blick credits him with a pragmatic approach during the Covid-19 pandemic and a role in settling the Tardoc doctors' tariff in force since the start of the year. He is married, has four children, and is an active member of the Gemeinde für Christus free church.

Timetable

Parties have until noon on Friday, 23 October, to put forward further candidacies to the selection commission. The SVP parliamentary group will decide on 20 November which candidates to propose, and the Federal Council election is scheduled for 9 December 2026.

Schnegg is the third declared candidate so far, according to Blick. The Bern party's statement also says the best starting point for a French-speaking winner is created by several qualified francophone candidacies.

“With several qualified French-speaking candidacies, the best starting point is created for electing a French-speaking Federal Council member on 9 December 2026.”