Presidential year 2026
The president of the Swiss Confederation in 2026 is Guy Parmelin from the canton of Vaud. He was elected on 10 December 2025.
The president’s department in 2026 is the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER. The last time it had that honour was in 2021.
The vice president of the Federal Council in 2026 is Ignazio Cassis. He heads the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA.
Loving one's country doesn’t just mean sharing in its successes, it also means being able to explain its setbacks when they occur and nevertheless make the best of them.
Let us not allow ourselves to be divided. Let us harness our diversity to be stronger together. Our country’s future will not be built on conflict, but on cooperation.
Speeches given by the president and information about events attended are published on the website of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER.
Presidential Services Unit
At the start of 2015 a Presidential Services Unit was established in the Federal Chancellery to help the department of the president with organising the president’s year. The unit was established by parliamentary decision on 28 September 2012, and its legal basis can be found in the Government and Administration Organisation Act.
The unit assists the current president’s department with any extra tasks during the presidential year. It brings under one roof the services which have been provided for some time by the Federal Chancellery and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). The core role of the Presidential Services Unit is to advise the president on foreign policy.
This was formerly done by the Presidential Affairs section in the FDFA's State Secretariat. Prior to that, a diplomat was seconded to the president’s department. Parliament and the government expect the Presidential Services Unit to bring together experience, knowledge and contacts to create an institutional ‘memory’ – to ensure continuity and efficiency.