List of presidents of the Swiss Confederation

Below is a list of presidents of the Swiss Confederation (1848–present). It presents the presiding member of the Swiss Federal Council, the country's seven-member executive.

Elected by the Federal Assembly for one year, the President of the Confederation chairs the meetings of the Federal Council and undertakes special representational duties. Primus inter pares, the officeholder has no powers above the other Federal Councillors and continues to head his or her department. Traditionally, the duty rotates among the members in order of seniority and the previous year's vice president becomes president.

1848–1899[edit]

  Free Democratic Party   Christian Democratic People's Party

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Political party Canton
1 Jonas Furrer
(1805–1861)
21 November 1848 31 December 1849 Free Democratic Party Zürich
2 Henri Druey
(1799–1855)
1 January 1850 31 December 1850 Free Democratic Party Vaud
3 Josef Munzinger
(1791–1855)
1 January 1851 31 December 1851 Free Democratic Party Solothurn
4 Jonas Furrer
(1805–1861)
1 January 1852 31 December 1852 Free Democratic Party Zürich
5 Wilhelm Matthias Naeff
(1802–1881)
1 January 1853 31 December 1853 Free Democratic Party St. Gallen
6 Friedrich Frey-Herosé
(1801–1873)
1 January 1854 31 December 1854 Free Democratic Party Aargau
7 Jonas Furrer
(1805–1861)
1 January 1855 31 December 1855 Free Democratic Party Zürich
8 Jakob Stämpfli
(1820–1879)
1 January 1856 31 December 1856 Free Democratic Party Bern
9 Constant Fornerod
(1819–1899)
1 January 1857 31 December 1857 Free Democratic Party Vaud
10 Jonas Furrer
(1805–1861)
1 January 1858 31 December 1858 Free Democratic Party Zürich
11 Jakob Stämpfli
(1820–1879)
1 January 1859 31 December 1859 Free Democratic Party Bern
12 Friedrich Frey-Herosé
(1801–1873)
1 January 1860 31 December 1860 Free Democratic Party Aargau
13 Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel
(1813–1889)
1 January 1861 31 December 1861 Free Democratic Party Lucerne
14 Jakob Stämpfli
(1820–1879)
1 January 1862 31 December 1862 Free Democratic Party Bern
15 Constant Fornerod
(1819–1899)
1 January 1863 31 December 1863 Free Democratic Party Vaud
16 Jakob Dubs
(1822–1879)
1 January 1864 31 December 1864 Free Democratic Party Zürich
17 Karl Schenk
(1823–1895)
1 January 1865 31 December 1865 Free Democratic Party Bern
18 Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel
(1813–1889)
1 January 1866 31 December 1866 Free Democratic Party Lucerne
19 Constant Fornerod
(1819–1899)
1 January 1867 31 December 1867 Free Democratic Party Vaud
20 Jakob Dubs
(1822–1879)
1 January 1868 31 December 1868 Free Democratic Party Zürich
21 Emil Welti
(1825–1899)
1 January 1869 31 December 1869 Free Democratic Party Aargau
22 Jakob Dubs
(1822–1879)
1 January 1870 31 December 1870 Free Democratic Party Zürich
23 Karl Schenk
(1823–1895)
1 January 1871 31 December 1871 Free Democratic Party Bern
24 Emil Welti
(1825–1899)
1 January 1872 31 December 1872 Free Democratic Party Aargau
25 Paul Cérésole
(1832–1905)
1 January 1873 31 December 1873 Free Democratic Party Vaud
26 Karl Schenk
(1823–1895)
1 January 1874 31 December 1874 Free Democratic Party Bern
27 Johann Jakob Scherer
(1825–1878)
1 January 1875 31 December 1875 Free Democratic Party Zürich
28 Emil Welti
(1825–1899)
1 January 1876 31 December 1876 Free Democratic Party Aargau
29 Joachim Heer
(1825–1879)
1 January 1877 31 December 1877 Free Democratic Party Glarus
30 Karl Schenk
(1823–1895)
1 January 1878 31 December 1878 Free Democratic Party Bern
31 Bernhard Hammer
(1822–1907)
1 January 1879 31 December 1879 Free Democratic Party Solothurn
32 Emil Welti
(1825–1899)
1 January 1880 31 December 1880 Free Democratic Party Aargau
33 Numa Droz
(1844–1899)
1 January 1881 31 December 1881 Free Democratic Party Neuchâtel
34 Simeon Bavier
(1825–1896)
1 January 1882 31 December 1882 Free Democratic Party Grisons
35 Louis Ruchonnet
(1834–1893)
1 January 1883 31 December 1883 Free Democratic Party Vaud
36 Emil Welti
(1825–1899)
1 January 1884 31 December 1884 Free Democratic Party Aargau
37 Karl Schenk
(1823–1895)
1 January 1885 31 December 1885 Free Democratic Party Bern
38 Adolf Deucher
(1831–1912)
1 January 1886 31 December 1886 Free Democratic Party Thurgau
39 Numa Droz
(1844–1899)
1 January 1887 31 December 1887 Free Democratic Party Neuchâtel
40 Wilhelm Hertenstein
(1825–1888)
1 January 1888 27 November 1888 Free Democratic Party Zürich
41 Bernhard Hammer
(1822–1907)
27 November 1888 31 December 1889 Free Democratic Party Solothurn
42 Louis Ruchonnet
(1834–1893)
1 January 1890 31 December 1890 Free Democratic Party Vaud
43 Emil Welti
(1825–1899)
1 January 1891 31 December 1891 Free Democratic Party Aargau
44 Walter Hauser
(1837–1902)
1 January 1892 31 December 1892 Free Democratic Party Zürich
45 Karl Schenk
(1823–1895)
1 January 1893 31 December 1893 Free Democratic Party Bern
46 Emil Frey
(1838–1922)
1 January 1894 31 December 1894 Free Democratic Party Basel-Landschaft
47 Josef Zemp
(1834–1908)
1 January 1895 31 December 1895 Catholic-Conservative Party Lucerne
48 Adrien Lachenal
(1849–1918)
1 January 1896 31 December 1896 Free Democratic Party Geneva
49 Adolf Deucher
(1831–1912)
1 January 1897 31 December 1897 Free Democratic Party Thurgau
50 Eugène Ruffy
(1854–1919)
1 January 1898 31 December 1898 Free Democratic Party Vaud
51 Eduard Müller
(1848–1919)
1 January 1899 31 December 1899 Free Democratic Party Bern

1900–1999[edit]

  Free Democratic Party
  Christian Democratic People's Party
  Liberal Party
  Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents
  Social Democratic Party
  Swiss People's Party

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Political party Canton
52 Walter Hauser
(1837–1902)
1 January 1900 31 December 1900 Free Democratic Party Zürich
53 Ernst Brenner
(1856–1911)
1 January 1901 31 December 1901 Free Democratic Party Basel-Stadt
54 Josef Zemp
(1834–1908)
1 January 1902 31 December 1902 Catholic-Conservative Party Lucerne
55 Adolf Deucher
(1831–1912)
1 January 1903 31 December 1903 Free Democratic Party Thurgau
56 Robert Comtesse
(1847–1922)
1 January 1904 31 December 1904 Free Democratic Party Neuchâtel
57 Marc-Émile Ruchet
(1853–1912)
1 January 1905 31 December 1905 Free Democratic Party Vaud
58 Ludwig Forrer
(1845–1921)
1 January 1906 31 December 1906 Free Democratic Party Zürich
59 Eduard Müller
(1848–1919)
1 January 1907 31 December 1907 Free Democratic Party Bern
60 Ernst Brenner
(1856–1911)
1 January 1908 31 December 1908 Free Democratic Party Basel-Stadt
61 Adolf Deucher
(1831–1912)
1 January 1909 31 December 1909 Free Democratic Party Thurgau
62 Robert Comtesse
(1847–1922)
1 January 1910 31 December 1910 Free Democratic Party Neuchâtel
63 Marc-Émile Ruchet
(1853–1912)
1 January 1911 31 December 1911 Free Democratic Party Vaud
64 Ludwig Forrer
(1845–1921)
1 January 1912 31 December 1912 Free Democratic Party Zürich
65 Eduard Müller
(1848–1919)
1 January 1913 31 December 1913 Free Democratic Party Bern
66 Arthur Hoffmann
(1857–1927)
1 January 1914 31 December 1914 Free Democratic Party St. Gallen
67 Giuseppe Motta
(1871–1940)
1 January 1915 31 December 1915 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino
68 Camille Decoppet
(1862–1925)
1 January 1916 31 December 1916 Free Democratic Party Vaud
69 Edmund Schulthess
(1868–1944)
1 January 1917 31 December 1917 Free Democratic Party Aargau
70 Felix Calonder
(1863–1952)
1 January 1918 31 December 1918 Free Democratic Party Grisons
71 Gustave Ador
(1845–1928)
1 January 1919 31 December 1919 Liberal Party Geneva
72 Giuseppe Motta
(1871–1940)
1 January 1920 31 December 1920 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino
73 Edmund Schulthess
(1868–1944)
1 January 1921 31 December 1921 Free Democratic Party Aargau
74 Robert Haab
(1865–1939)
1 January 1922 31 December 1922 Free Democratic Party Zürich
75 Karl Scheurer
(1872–1929)
1 January 1923 31 December 1923 Free Democratic Party Bern
76 Ernest Chuard
(1857–1942)
1 January 1924 31 December 1924 Free Democratic Party Vaud
77 Jean-Marie Musy
(1876–1952)
1 January 1925 31 December 1925 Catholic-Conservative Party Fribourg
78 Heinrich Häberlin
(1868–1947)
1 January 1926 31 December 1926 Free Democratic Party Thurgau
79 Giuseppe Motta
(1871–1940)
1 January 1927 31 December 1927 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino
80 Edmund Schulthess
(1868–1944)
1 January 1928 31 December 1928 Free Democratic Party Aargau
81 Robert Haab
(1865–1939)
1 January 1929 31 December 1929 Free Democratic Party Zürich
82 Jean-Marie Musy
(1876–1952)
1 January 1930 31 December 1930 Catholic-Conservative Party Fribourg
83 Heinrich Häberlin
(1868–1947)
1 January 1931 31 December 1931 Free Democratic Party Thurgau
84 Giuseppe Motta
(1871–1940)
1 January 1932 31 December 1932 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino
85 Edmund Schulthess
(1868–1944)
1 January 1933 31 December 1933 Free Democratic Party Aargau
86 Marcel Pilet-Golaz
(1889–1958)
1 January 1934 31 December 1934 Free Democratic Party Vaud
87 Rudolf Minger
(1881–1955)
1 January 1935 31 December 1935 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents Bern
88 Albert Meyer
(1870–1953)
1 January 1936 31 December 1936 Free Democratic Party Zürich
89 Giuseppe Motta
(1871–1940)
1 January 1937 31 December 1937 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino
90 Johannes Baumann
(1874–1953)
1 January 1938 31 December 1938 Free Democratic Party Appenzell Ausserrhoden
91 Philipp Etter
(1891–1977)
1 January 1939 31 December 1939 Catholic-Conservative Party Zug
92 Marcel Pilet-Golaz
(1889–1958)
1 January 1940 31 December 1940 Free Democratic Party Vaud
93 Ernst Wetter
(1877–1963)
1 January 1941 31 December 1941 Free Democratic Party Zürich
94 Philipp Etter
(1891–1977)
1 January 1942 31 December 1942 Catholic-Conservative Party Zug
95 Enrico Celio
(1889–1980)
1 January 1943 31 December 1943 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino
96 Walther Stampfli
(1884–1965)
1 January 1944 31 December 1944 Free Democratic Party Solothurn
97 Eduard von Steiger
(1881–1962)
1 January 1945 31 December 1945 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents Bern
98 Karl Kobelt
(1891–1968)
1 January 1946 31 December 1946 Free Democratic Party St. Gallen
99 Philipp Etter
(1891–1977)
1 January 1947 31 December 1947 Catholic-Conservative Party Zug
100 Enrico Celio
(1889–1980)
1 January 1948 31 December 1948 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino
101 Ernst Nobs
(1886–1957)
1 January 1949 31 December 1949 Social Democratic Party Zürich
102 Max Petitpierre
(1899–1994)
1 January 1950 31 December 1950 Free Democratic Party Neuchâtel
103 Eduard von Steiger
(1881–1962)
1 January 1951 31 December 1951 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents Bern
104 Karl Kobelt
(1891–1968)
1 January 1952 31 December 1952 Free Democratic Party St. Gallen
105 Philipp Etter
(1891–1977)
1 January 1953 31 December 1953 Catholic-Conservative Party Zug
106 Rodolphe Rubattel
(1896–1961)
1 January 1954 31 December 1954 Free Democratic Party Vaud
107 Max Petitpierre
(1899–1994)
1 January 1955 31 December 1955 Free Democratic Party Neuchâtel
108 Markus Feldmann
(1897–1958)
1 January 1956 31 December 1956 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents Bern
109 Hans Streuli
(1892–1970)
1 January 1957 31 December 1957 Free Democratic Party Zürich
110 Thomas Holenstein
(1896–1962)
1 January 1958 31 December 1958 Conservative-Christian-Social People's Party St. Gallen
111 Paul Chaudet
(1904–1977)
1 January 1959 31 December 1959 Free Democratic Party Vaud
112 Max Petitpierre
(1899–1994)
1 January 1960 31 December 1960 Free Democratic Party Neuchâtel
113 Friedrich Traugott Wahlen
(1899–1985)
1 January 1961 31 December 1961 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents Zürich
114 Paul Chaudet
(1904–1977)
1 January 1962 31 December 1962 Free Democratic Party Vaud
115 Willy Spühler
(1902–1990)
1 January 1963 31 December 1963 Social Democratic Party Zürich
116 Ludwig von Moos
(1910–1990)
1 January 1964 31 December 1964 Conservative-Christian-Social People's Party Obwalden
117 Hans-Peter Tschudi
(1913–2002)
1 January 1965 31 December 1965 Social Democratic Party Basel-Stadt
118 Hans Schaffner
(1908–2004)
1 January 1966 31 December 1966 Free Democratic Party Aargau
119 Roger Bonvin
(1907–1982)
1 January 1967 31 December 1967 Conservative-Christian-Social People's Party Valais
120 Willy Spühler
(1902–1990)
1 January 1968 31 December 1968 Social Democratic Party Zürich
121 Ludwig von Moos
(1910–1990)
1 January 1969 31 December 1969 Conservative-Christian-Social People's Party Obwalden
122 Hans-Peter Tschudi
(1913–2002)
1 January 1970 31 December 1970 Social Democratic Party Basel-Stadt
123 Rudolf Gnägi
(1917–1985)
1 January 1971 31 December 1971 Swiss People's Party Bern
124 Nello Celio
(1914–1995)
1 January 1972 31 December 1972 Free Democratic Party Ticino
125 Roger Bonvin
(1907–1982)
1 January 1973 31 December 1973 Christian Democratic People's Party Valais
126 Ernst Brugger
(1914–1998)
1 January 1974 31 December 1974 Free Democratic Party Zürich
127 Pierre Graber
(1908–2003)
1 January 1975 31 December 1975 Social Democratic Party Vaud
128 Rudolf Gnägi
(1917–1985)
1 January 1976 31 December 1976 Swiss People's Party Bern
129 Kurt Furgler
(1924–2008)
1 January 1977 31 December 1977 Christian Democratic People's Party St. Gallen
130 Willi Ritschard
(1918–1983)
1 January 1978 31 December 1978 Social Democratic Party Solothurn
131 Hans Hürlimann
(1918–1994)
1 January 1979 31 December 1979 Christian Democratic People's Party Zug
132 Georges-André Chevallaz
(1915–2002)
1 January 1980 31 December 1980 Free Democratic Party Vaud
133 Kurt Furgler
(1924–2008)
1 January 1981 31 December 1981 Christian Democratic People's Party St. Gallen
134 Fritz Honegger
(1917–1999)
1 January 1982 31 December 1982 Free Democratic Party Zürich
135 Pierre Aubert
(1927–2016)
1 January 1983 31 December 1983 Social Democratic Party Neuchâtel
136 Leon Schlumpf
(1925–2012)
1 January 1984 31 December 1984 Swiss People's Party Grisons
137 Kurt Furgler
(1924–2008)
1 January 1985 31 December 1985 Christian Democratic People's Party St. Gallen
138 Alphons Egli
(1924–2016)
1 January 1986 31 December 1986 Christian Democratic People's Party Lucern
139 Pierre Aubert
(1927–2016)
1 January 1987 31 December 1987 Social Democratic Party Neuchâtel
140 Otto Stich
(1927–2012)
1 January 1988 31 December 1988 Social Democratic Party Solothurn
141 Jean-Pascal Delamuraz
(1936–1998)
1 January 1989 31 December 1989 Free Democratic Party Vaud
142 Arnold Koller
(born 1933)
1 January 1990 31 December 1990 Christian Democratic People's Party Appenzell Innerrhoden
143 Flavio Cotti
(1939–2020)
1 January 1991 31 December 1991 Christian Democratic People's Party Ticino
144 René Felber
(1933–2020)
1 January 1992 31 December 1992 Social Democratic Party Neuchâtel
145 Adolf Ogi
(born 1942)
1 January 1993 31 December 1993 Swiss People's Party Bern
146 Otto Stich
(1927–2012)
1 January 1994 31 December 1994 Social Democratic Party Solothurn
147 Kaspar Villiger
(born 1941)
1 January 1995 31 December 1995 Free Democratic Party Lucerne
148 Jean-Pascal Delamuraz
(1936–1998)
1 January 1996 31 December 1996 Free Democratic Party Vaud
149 Arnold Koller
(born 1933)
1 January 1997 31 December 1997 Christian Democratic People's Party Appenzell Innerrhoden
150 Flavio Cotti
(1939–2020)
1 January 1998 31 December 1998 Christian Democratic People's Party Ticino
151 Ruth Dreifuss
(born 1940)
1 January 1999 31 December 1999 Social Democratic Party Geneva

2000–present[edit]

Political parties

  Swiss People's Party
  Social Democratic Party
  Free Democratic Party/FDP.The Liberals
  Christian Democratic People's Party/The Centre
  Conservative Democratic Party

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Political party Canton
152 Adolf Ogi
(born 1942)
1 January 2000 31 December 2000 Swiss People's Party Bern
153 Moritz Leuenberger
(born 1946)
1 January 2001 31 December 2001 Social Democratic Party Zürich
154 Kaspar Villiger
(born 1941)
1 January 2002 31 December 2002 Free Democratic Party Lucerne
155 Pascal Couchepin
(born 1942)
1 January 2003 31 December 2003 Free Democratic Party Valais
156 Joseph Deiss
(born 1946)
1 January 2004 31 December 2004 Christian Democratic People's Party Fribourg
157 Samuel Schmid
(born 1947)
1 January 2005 31 December 2005 Swiss People's Party Bern
158 Moritz Leuenberger
(born 1946)
1 January 2006 31 December 2006 Social Democratic Party Zürich
159 Micheline Calmy-Rey
(born 1945)
1 January 2007 31 December 2007 Social Democratic Party Geneva
160 Pascal Couchepin
(born 1942)
1 January 2008 31 December 2008 Free Democratic Party Valais
161 Hans-Rudolf Merz
(born 1942)
1 January 2009 31 December 2009 FDP.The Liberals Appenzell Ausserrhoden
162 Doris Leuthard
(born 1963)
1 January 2010 31 December 2010 Christian Democratic People's Party Aargau
163 Micheline Calmy-Rey
(born 1945)
1 January 2011 31 December 2011 Social Democratic Party Geneva
164 Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf
(born 1956)
1 January 2012 31 December 2012 Conservative Democratic Party Grisons
165 Ueli Maurer
(born 1950)
1 January 2013 31 December 2013 Swiss People's Party Zürich
166 Didier Burkhalter
(born 1960)
1 January 2014 31 December 2014 FDP.The Liberals Neuchâtel
167 Simonetta Sommaruga
(born 1960)
1 January 2015 31 December 2015 Social Democratic Party Bern
168 Johann Schneider-Ammann
(born 1952)
1 January 2016 31 December 2016 FDP.The Liberals Bern
169 Doris Leuthard
(born 1963)
1 January 2017 31 December 2017 Christian Democratic People's Party Aargau
170 Alain Berset
(born 1972)
1 January 2018 31 December 2018 Social Democratic Party Fribourg
171 Ueli Maurer
(born 1950)
1 January 2019 31 December 2019 Swiss People's Party Zürich
172 Simonetta Sommaruga
(born 1960)
1 January 2020 31 December 2020 Social Democratic Party Bern
173 Guy Parmelin
(born 1959)
1 January 2021 31 December 2021 Swiss People's Party Vaud
174 Ignazio Cassis
(born 1961)
1 January 2022 31 December 2022 FDP.The Liberals Ticino
175 Alain Berset
(born 1972)
1 January 2023 31 December 2023 Social Democratic Party Fribourg
176 Viola Amherd
(born 1962)
1 January 2024 Incumbent The Centre Valais

See also[edit]