Guy Parmelin, President of the Swiss Confederation 2026
Guy Parmelin (SVP/VD) has been a federal councillor since 2016. Guy Parmelin heads the Federal Department of Economic Affairs. Prior to that he headed the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS).
Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin
Guy Parmelin was born in Bursins (Vaud) on 9 November 1959. He holds a federal baccalaureate specialising in Latin and English. Following a farming apprenticeship, he obtained a diploma from the agricultural college at Marcelin in 1979. In 1985, he obtained a Federal PET Diploma in agriculture and winegrowing. Guy Parmelin is married.
Guy Parmelin entered into politics in 1993 as president of Bursins communal council. Between 1994 and 2003, he was a member of the Vaud cantonal parliament. Between 2000 and 2004, he was president of the Vaud cantonal branch of the SVP. He was elected to the National Council in 2003.
As a master winegrower, he ran a farm and vineyard. Guy Parmelin was vice president of the board of the Federation of Swiss Agricultural Cooperatives (FENACO) and a board member of the ‘Etablissement d'assurance contre l'incendie et les éléments naturels’ (ECA) of the canton of Vaud.
Election to the Federal Council
On 9 December 2015 the Federal Assembly elected Guy Parmelin to the Federal Council. He took over as head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) on 1 January 2016. Since January 2019 he has been head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research. He was president of the Swiss Confederation for the first time in 2021.
President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin
This year Guy Parmelin is not only the head of EAER, his government department, but also president of the Swiss Confederation. The office is largely ceremonial. The president is ‘Primus inter pares’ or first among equals.
Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER
The DEFR defines the general framework for economic activity and the labor market. It sets the rules applicable to the private sector, including agriculture, and represents the interests of the Swiss economy abroad. It is also responsible for organizing vocational training, promoting research, and ensuring the country's supply of essential goods.
EAER facts and figures
Staff (full-time positions, 2024): 2,268
2024 expenses: CHF 12.85 billion