President of the Swiss Confederation

The President of the Swiss Confederation is the chair of the Federal Council of Switzerland and is the first amongst equals of councillors of the executive branch of the Swiss government.

Role
Under the Swiss constitution of 1999, the Federal Council is the "highest executive authority".  Although the president of the confederation has some extra duties to represent Switzerland, he is not the head of state.

All decisions are that a head of state would make are decided by a meeting of the Federal Council. For example, treaties are signed on behalf of the Federal Council, and all members of the federal council sign the "letters of credence"  to introduce ambassadors sent by Switzerland to a foreign country.  All  ambassadors sent by a foreign country to Switzerland meet all of the members of the Federal Council, not just the President.  

The President of the Confederation is sometimes called the "primus inter pares" (first equal) in the Federal Council.

Only three other countries in the world do not have one person as a head of state, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Andorra and San Marino. 

List of presidents of the Swiss Confederation
1848-1900
 Jonas Furrer 
 Henri Druey  
 Josef Munzinger  
 Jonas Furrer  
 W.M. Naeff  
 Friedrich-Frey Herose  
 Jonas Furrer  
 Melchior Josef Martin Knusel  
 Jakob Stampfli  
 Constant Fornerod  
 Jakob Dubs  
 Karl Schenk  
 Melchior Josef Martin Knusel  
 Constant Fornerod  
 Jakob Dubs  
 Karl Schenk  
 Emil Welti  
 J.J. Scherer  
 Emil Welti  
 Joachim Heer  
 Karl Schenk  
 Bernard Hammer 
 Emil Welti  
 Numa Droz  
 Simeon Bavier  
 Louis Ruchonnet  
 Emil Welti  
 Adolf Deucher  
 Numa Droz  
 Wilhelm Hertenstein  
 Bernard Hammer 
 Louis Ruchonnet  
 Emil Welti  
 Walter Hauser  
 Karl Schenk  
 Emil frey  
 Josef Zemp  
 Adrien Lachenal  
 Adolf Deucher  
 Eugene Ruffy   
 Eduard Muller    

 1900–1999 

№PortraitName(Birth–Death)Term of officePolitical partyCanton   80px Walter Hauser(1837–1902) 1 January 1900 31 December 1900 Free Democratic Party Zürich  27 80px Ernst Brenner(1856–1911) 1 January 1901 31 December 1901 Free Democratic Party Basel-Stadt   80px Josef Zemp(1834–1908) 1 January 1902 31 December 1902 Catholic-Conservative Party Lucerne   80px Adolf Deucher(1831–1912) 1 January 1903 31 December 1903 Free Democratic Party Thurgau  28 80px Robert Comtesse(1847–1922) 1 January 1904 31 December 1904 Free Democratic Party Neuchâtel  29  Marc-Émile Ruchet(1853–1912) 1 January 1905 31 December 1905 Free Democratic Party Vaud  30 80px Ludwig Forrer(1845–1921) 1 January 1906 31 December 1906 Free Democratic Party Zürich   80px Eduard Müller(1848–1919) 1 January 1907 31 December 1907 Free Democratic Party Bern   80px Ernst Brenner(1856–1911) 1 January 1908 31 December 1908 Free Democratic Party Basel-Stadt   Adolf Deucher(1831–1912) 1 January 1909 31 December 1909 Free Democratic Party Thurgau   80px Robert Comtesse(1847–1922) 1 January 1910 31 December 1910 Free Democratic Party Neuchâtel    Marc-Émile Ruchet(1853–1912) 1 January 1911 31 December 1911 Free Democratic Party Vaud   80px Ludwig Forrer(1845–1921) 1 January 1912 31 December 1912 Free Democratic Party Zürich   80px Eduard Müller(1848–1919) 1 January 1913 31 December 1913 Free Democratic Party Bern  31 80px Arthur Hoffmann(1857–1927) 1 January 1914 31 December 1914 Free Democratic Party St. Gallen  32 80px Giuseppe Motta(1871–1940) 1 January 1915 31 December 1915 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino  33 80px Camille Decoppet(1862–1925) 1 January 1916 31 December 1916 Free Democratic Party Vaud  34 80px Edmund Schulthess(1868–1944) 1 January 1917 31 December 1917 Free Democratic Party Aargau  35 80px Felix Calonder(1863–1952) 1 January 1918 31 December 1918 Free Democratic Party Grisons  36 80px Gustave Ador(1845–1928) 1 January 1919 31 December 1919 Liberal Party Geneva   80px Giuseppe Motta(1871–1940) 1 January 1920 31 December 1920 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino   80px Edmund Schulthess(1868–1944) 1 January 1921 31 December 1921 Free Democratic Party Aargau  37 80px Robert Haab(1865–1939) 1 January 1922 31 December 1922 Free Democratic Party Zürich  38 80px Karl Scheurer(1872–1929) 1 January 1923 31 December 1923 Free Democratic Party Bern  39 80px Ernest Chuard(1857–1942) 1 January 1924 31 December 1924 Free Democratic Party Vaud  40 80px Jean-Marie Musy(1876–1952) 1 January 1925 31 December 1925 Catholic-Conservative Party Fribourg  41 80px Heinrich Häberlin(1868–1947) 1 January 1926 31 December 1926 Free Democratic Party Thurgau   80px Giuseppe Motta(1871–1940) 1 January 1927 31 December 1927 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino   80px Edmund Schulthess(1868–1944) 1 January 1928 31 December 1928 Free Democratic Party Aargau   80px Robert Haab(1865–1939) 1 January 1929 31 December 1929 Free Democratic Party Zürich   80px Jean-Marie Musy(1876–1952) 1 January 1930 31 December 1930 Catholic-Conservative Party Fribourg   80px Heinrich Häberlin(1868–1947) 1 January 1931 31 December 1931 Free Democratic Party Thurgau   80px Giuseppe Motta(1871–1940) 1 January 1932 31 December 1932 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino   80px Edmund Schulthess(1868–1944) 1 January 1933 31 December 1933 Free Democratic Party Aargau  42 80px Marcel Pilet-Golaz(1889–1958) 1 January 1934 31 December 1934 Free Democratic Party Vaud  43 80px Rudolf Minger(1881–1955) 1 January 1935 31 December 1935 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents Bern  44 80px Albert Meyer(1870–1953) 1 January 1936 31 December 1936 Free Democratic Party Zürich   80px Giuseppe Motta(1871–1940) 1 January 1937 31 December 1937 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino  45 80px Johannes Baumann(1874–1953) 1 January 1938 31 December 1938 Free Democratic Party Appenzell Ausserrhoden  46 80px Philipp Etter(1891–1977) 1 January 1939 31 December 1939 Catholic-Conservative Party Zug   80px Marcel Pilet-Golaz(1889–1958) 1 January 1940 31 December 1940 Free Democratic Party Vaud  47 80px Ernst Wetter(1877–1963) 1 January 1941 31 December 1941 Free Democratic Party Zürich   80px Philipp Etter(1891–1977) 1 January 1942 31 December 1942 Catholic-Conservative Party Zug  48 80px Enrico Celio(1889–1980) 1 January 1943 31 December 1943 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino  49 80px Walther Stampfli(1884–1965) 1 January 1944 31 December 1944 Free Democratic Party Solothurn  50 80px Eduard von Steiger(1881–1962) 1 January 1945 31 December 1945 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents Bern  51 80px Karl Kobelt(1891–1968) 1 January 1946 31 December 1946 Free Democratic Party St. Gallen   80px Philipp Etter(1891–1977) 1 January 1947 31 December 1947 Catholic-Conservative Party Zug   80px Enrico Celio(1889–1980) 1 January 1948 31 December 1948 Catholic-Conservative Party Ticino  52 80px Ernst Nobs(1886–1957) 1 January 1949 31 December 1949 Social Democratic Party Zürich  53 80px Max Petitpierre(1899–1994) 1 January 1950 31 December 1950 Free Democratic Party Neuchâtel   80px Eduard von Steiger(1881–1962) 1 January 1951 31 December 1951 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents Bern   80px Karl Kobelt(1891–1968) 1 January 1952 31 December 1952 Free Democratic Party St. Gallen   80px Philipp Etter(1891–1977) 1 January 1953 31 December 1953 Catholic-Conservative Party Zug  54 80px Rodolphe Rubattel(1896–1961) 1 January 1954 31 December 1954 Free Democratic Party Vaud   80px Max Petitpierre(1899–1994) 1 January 1955 31 December 1955 Free Democratic Party Neuchâtel  55 80px Markus Feldmann(1897–1958) 1 January 1956 31 December 1956 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents Bern  56 80px Hans Streuli(1892–1970) 1 January 1957 31 December 1957 Free Democratic Party Zürich  57 80px Thomas Holenstein(1896–1962) 1 January 1958 31 December 1958 Conservative-Christian-Social People's Party St. Gallen  58 80px Paul Chaudet(1904–1977) 1 January 1959 31 December 1959 Free Democratic Party Vaud   80px Max Petitpierre(1899–1994) 1 January 1960 31 December 1960 Free Democratic Party Neuchâtel  59 80px Friedrich Traugott Wahlen(1899–1985) 1 January 1961 31 December 1961 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents Zürich   80px Paul Chaudet(1904–1977) 1 January 1962 31 December 1962 Free Democratic Party Vaud  60 80px Willy Spühler(1902–1990) 1 January 1963 31 December 1963 Social Democratic Party Zürich  61 80px Ludwig von Moos(1910–1990) 1 January 1964 31 December 1964 Conservative-Christian-Social People's Party Obwalden  62 80px Hans-Peter Tschudi(1913–2002) 1 January 1965 31 December 1965 Social Democratic Party Basel-Stadt  63 80px Hans Schaffner(1908–2004) 1 January 1966 31 December 1966 Free Democratic Party Aargau  64 80px Roger Bonvin(1907–1982) 1 January 1967 31 December 1967 Conservative-Christian-Social People's Party Valais   80px Willy Spühler(1902–1990) 1 January 1968 31 December 1968 Social Democratic Party Zürich   80px Ludwig von Moos(1910–1990) 1 January 1969 31 December 1969 Conservative-Christian-Social People's Party Obwalden   80px Hans-Peter Tschudi (1913–2002) 1 January 1970 31 December 1970 Social Democratic Party Basel-Stadt  65 80px Rudolf Gnägi(1917–1985) 1 January 1971 31 December 1971 Swiss People's Party Bern  66 80px Nello Celio(1914–1995) 1 January 1972 31 December 1972 Free Democratic Party Ticino   80px Roger Bonvin(1907–1982) 1 January 1973 31 December 1973 Christian Democratic People's Party Valais  67 80px Ernst Brugger(1914–1998) 1 January 1974 31 December 1974 Free Democratic Party Zürich  68 80px Pierre Graber(1908–2003) 1 January 1975 31 December 1975 Social Democratic Party Vaud   80px Rudolf Gnägi(1917–1985) 1 January 1976 31 December 1976 Swiss People's Party Bern  69 80px Kurt Furgler(1924–2008) 1 January 1977 31 December 1977 Christian Democratic People's Party St- Gallen  70 80px Willi Ritschard(1918–1983) 1 January 1978 31 December 1978 Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland Solothurn  71 80px Hans Hürlimann(1918–1994) 1 January 1979 31 December 1979 Christian Democratic People's Party Zug  72 80px Georges-André Chevallaz(1915–2002) 1 January 1980 31 December 1980 Free Democratic Party Vaud   80px Kurt Furgler(1924–2008) 1 January 1981 31 December 1981 Christian Democratic People's Party St- Gallen  73 80px Fritz Honegger(1917–1999) 1 January 1982 31 December 1982 Free Democratic Party Zürich  74 80px Pierre Aubert(1927–2016) 1 January 1983 31 December 1983 Social Democratic Party Neuchâtel  75 80px Leon Schlumpf(1925–2012) 1 January 1984 31 December 1984 Swiss People's Party Graubünden   80px Kurt Furgler(1924–2008) 1 January 1985 31 December 1985 Christian Democratic People's Party St- Gallen  76 80px Alphons Egli(1924–2016) 1 January 1986 31 December 1986 Christian Democratic People's Party Lucern   80px Pierre Aubert(1927–2016) 1 January 1987 31 December 1987 Social Democratic Party Neuchâtel  77 80px Otto Stich(1927–2012) 1 January 1988 31 December 1988 Social Democratic Party Solothurn  78 80px Jean-Pascal Delamuraz(1936–1998) 1 January 1989 31 December 1989 Free Democratic Party Vaud  79 80px Arnold Koller(born 1933) 1 January 1990 31 December 1990 Christian Democratic People's Party Appenzell Innerrhoden  80 80px Flavio Cotti(born 1939) 1 January 1991 31 December 1991 Christian Democratic People's Party Ticino  81 80px René Felber(1933–2020) 1 January 1992 31 December 1992 Social Democratic Party Neuchâtel  82 80px Adolf Ogi (born 1942) 1 January 1993 31 December 1993 Swiss People's Party Bern   80px Otto Stich(1927–2012) 1 January 1994 31 December 1994 Social Democratic Party Solothurn  83 80px Kaspar Villiger(born 1941) 1 January 1995 31 December 1995 Free Democratic Party Lucerne   80px Jean-Pascal Delamuraz(1936–1998) 1 January 1996 31 December 1996 Free Democratic Party Vaud   80px Arnold Koller(born 1933) 1 January 1997 31 December 1997 Christian Democratic People's Party Appenzell Innerrhoden   80px Flavio Cotti(born 1939) 1 January 1998 31 December 1998 Christian Democratic People's Party Ticino  84 80px Ruth Dreifuss(born 1940) 1 January 1999 31 December 1999 Social Democratic Party Geneva

 2000–present 
Political parties

№PortraitName(Birth–Death)Term of officePolitical partyCanton   80px Adolf Ogi(born 1942) 1 January 2000 31 December 2000 Swiss People's Party Bern  85 80px Moritz Leuenberger(born 1946) 1 January 2001 31 December 2001 Social Democratic Party Zürich   80px Kaspar Villiger(born 1941) 1 January 2002 31 December 2002 Free Democratic Party Lucerne  86 80px Pascal Couchepin(born 1942) 1 January 2003 31 December 2003 Free Democratic Party Valais  87 80px Joseph Deiss(born 1946) 1 January 2004 31 December 2004 Christian Democratic People's Party Fribourg  88 80px Samuel Schmid(born 1947) 1 January 2005 31 December 2005 Swiss People's Party Bern   80px Moritz Leuenberger(born 1946) 1 January 2006 31 December 2006 Social Democratic Party Zürich  89 80px Micheline Calmy-Rey(born 1945) 1 January 2007 31 December 2007 Social Democratic Party Valais   80px Pascal Couchepin(born 1942) 1 January 2008 31 December 2008 Free Democratic Party Valais  90 80px Hans-Rudolf Merz(born 1942) 1 January 2009 31 December 2009 FDP.The Liberals Appenzell Ausserrhoden  91 80px Doris Leuthard(born 1963) 1 January 2010 31 December 2010 Christian Democratic People's Party Aargau   80px Micheline Calmy-Rey(born 1945) 1 January 2011 31 December 2011 Social Democratic Party Valais  92 80px Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf(born 1956) 1 January 2012 31 December 2012 Conservative Democratic Party Graubünden  93 80px Ueli Maurer(born 1950) 1 January 2013 31 December 2013 Swiss People's Party Zürich  94 80px Didier Burkhalter(born 1960) 1 January 2014 31 December 2014 FDP.The Liberals Neuchâtel  95 80px Simonetta Sommaruga(born 1960) 1 January 2015 31 December 2015 Social Democratic Party Bern  96 80px Johann Schneider-Ammann(born 1952) 1 January 2016 31 December 2016 FDP.The Liberals Bern   80px Doris Leuthard(born 1963) 1 January 2017 31 December 2017 Christian Democratic People's Party Aargau  97 80px Alain Berset(born 1972) 1 January 2018 31 December 2018 Social Democratic Party Fribourg   80px Ueli Maurer(born 1950) 1 January 2019 31 December 2019 Swiss People's Party Zürich   80px Simonetta Sommaruga(born 1960) 1 January 2020 31 December 2020 Social Democratic Party Bern  98 80px Guy Parmelin(born 1959)  1 January 2021 31 December 2021 Swiss People's Party Vaud  99 101x101px Ignazio Cassis(born 1961)  1 January 2022  31 December 2022 FDP.The Liberals Ticino  (97) 80px Alain Berset(born 1972)  1 January 2023  31 December 2023 Social Democratic Party Fribourg  100 80px Viola Amherd(born 1962) 1 January 2024 31 December 2024 The Centre Valais  101 101x101px Karin Keller-Sutter(born 1963) 1 January 2025 Incumbent FDP.The Liberals St. Gallen

 References 

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