



This content was published on November 16, 2018 - 17:57

Keystone-SDA/swissinfo.ch/ilj

Karin Keller-Sutter is a favourite for one of the posts KEYSTONE/Gian Ehrenzeller

Three women and one man have been put forward to fill the two Swiss cabinet posts that will become vacant at the end of the year.



The election for the ministerial positions on Switzerland’s Federal Council, to replace Environment, Transport, Energy, and Communications Minister Doris Leuthard and Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann, will take place in the Swiss parliament on December 5.



+ Doris Leuthard steps down

+ Johann Schneider-Ammann announces his resignation



The two parties nominating candidates are the centre Christian Democratic Party, and the centre-right Radical-Liberals. They announced their nominees on Friday evening, having met for special hearings earlier in the day.



The Christian Democrats have put forward Viola Amherd, from the canton of Valais, who sits in the House of Representatives, as well as Heidi Z'graggen, a member of the cantonal government from the central Swiss canton of Uri, who, as yet, has no federal level experience.



Viola Amherd (left) and Heidi Z'graggen © KEYSTONE / PETER KLAUNZER





There were no surprises with the nomination of Karin Keller-Sutter, for the Radicals, as she had been a clear favourite beforehand. The Senate president from canton St Gallen has ambition: she was up for a ministerial position in 2010, but lost out to Schneider-Ammann. The second nominee is Senator Hans Wicki, from canton Nidwalden, in central Switzerland.



Hans Wicki and Karin Keller-Sutter © KEYSTONE / PETER KLAUNZER





The naming of the candidates puts an end to the months of speculation that followed the double resignation announcement, which came within the space of a few days in September.



Women – the big question



The big question has been how many women would be elected to the Federal Council. Commentators have argued that selecting two women to replace the outgoing ministers would do much to boost equality.



This would mean that three of the seven members of Switzerland’s executive body women, along with Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga.







The new ministers – whose portfolios will be announced sometime after the election - will take up their posts on January 1, 2019.

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