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Shake-up in the federal council.

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Following Federal Minister for the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (UVEK), Social Democrat Moritz Leuenberger's July announcement of his intention to step down from the Federal Council, Federal Councillor Hans-Rudolf Merz (FDP Liberals) has followed with his own resignation.

In a press conference on August 6, the Federal Minister of Finance announced his intention to leave office in October, once the summer parliamentary session has ended. Merz told reporters, "It was a privilege to serve such a land and to contribute to its development and prosperity."

As we reported in the April 2010 issue of Swiss News, both ministers were facing increasing pressure to step down: in Leuenberger's case, after 15 years in office, voters increasingly saw him as dead wood in the Federal Council; whereas Merz's popularity had plummeted, following his bungled efforts to resolve the Max Goldi affair with Libya, as well as the UBS tax dispute with the United States.

Controversial timing

Echoing his recent Federal Council career, Merz's decision to step down has not been without controversy. His departure in October and Leuenberger's in December would have effectively meant an extended period of limbo for the seven-seat Federal Council, as two consecutive elections would have been necessary to fill the vacancies. Commenting to a journalist...

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