Institution

Swiss Federal Council

1848– · 19th century

The Swiss Federal Council is the seven-member executive of the Swiss Confederation, created by the federal constitution of 1848. Its members are elected by the Federal Assembly and govern collectively, each heading a department, with a president who rotates every year. Since 1959 the main parties have shared its seats by an informal 'magic formula'.

Mentioned in 1 state history

Swiss Confederation

See also

Cite this entry

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Swiss Federal Council. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/swiss-federal-council
MLA: “Swiss Federal Council.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/swiss-federal-council. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Swiss Federal Council.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/swiss-federal-council.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Swiss Federal Council’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/swiss-federal-council (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻