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An election for all seven members of the Federal Council, the Government of Switzerland, was held on 9 December 2015, following the federal election on 19 October 2015, for the 2016–2020 term.^[1]

Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, a member of the Conservative Democratic Party (BDP/PBD), announced she would not run for reelection after the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) won a record 29.4% of the vote, whilst her own party received 4.1% of the vote.^[2]^[3] The SVP/UDC was widely expected to fill her seat in the election; it chose Thomas Aeschi (Zug), Guy Parmelin (Vaud) and Norman Gobbi (Ticino) as candidates for the seat, with Aeschi being the favourite at the time.^[4]^[5]

Guy Parmelin, of the SVP/UDC, was ultimately elected by the Federal Assembly on 9 December 2015.^[1] Parmelin, a farmer and winegrower from Bursins in the canton of Vaud, became the first Federal Councillor of the Swiss People's Party from the French-speaking part of Switzerland.^[1]^[6]

There was a minor cabinet reshuffle after the election, as newly elected Federal Councillor Parmelin was selected to become head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports, replacing fellow SVP/UDC member Ueli Maurer, who became head of the Federal Department of Finance.^[7] The SVP/UDC regained its second seat on the Federal Council, which it had lost in 2008, when the newly created BDP/PBD split from the SVP/UDC.

Incumbents

Incumbents, in descending order of seniority, including political party affiliation and department at the time of the election:

Doris Leuthard (CVP/PDC), from Aargau, head of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications,
Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf (BDP/PBD), from Grisons, head of the Federal Department of Finance (did not run for reelection),
Ueli Maurer (SVP/UDC), from Zürich, head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports,
Didier Burkhalter (FDP.The Liberals), from Neuchâtel, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs,
Simonetta Sommaruga (SPS/PSS), from Bern, head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police,
Johann Schneider-Ammann (FDP.The Liberals), from Bern, head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research,
Alain Berset (SPS/PSS), from Fribourg, head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs.

Results

Source showing only the final tallies in favour of the winner of each seat:^[1]

Seat held by Doris Leuthard

Doris Leuthard (CVP/PDC) was reelected in the first round of voting.

	Round 1
Doris Leuthard	215
Votes received by other persons	19
Votes cast	245
Invalid votes	3
Blank votes	8
Valid votes	234
Absolute majority	118

Seat held by Ueli Maurer

Ueli Maurer (SVP/UDC) was reelected in the first round of voting.

	Round 1
Ueli Maurer	173
Thomas Hurter	10
Votes received by other persons	27
Votes cast	245
Invalid votes	3
Blank votes	32
Valid votes	210
Absolute majority	106

Seat held by Didier Burkhalter

Didier Burkhalter (FDP.The Liberals) was reelected in the first round of voting.

	Round 1
Didier Burkhalter	217
Votes received by other persons	14
Votes cast	244
Invalid votes	0
Blank votes	13
Valid votes	231
Absolute majority	116

Seat held by Simonetta Sommaruga

Simonetta Sommaruga (SPS/PSS) was reelected in the first round of voting.

	Round 1
Simonetta Sommaruga	182
Daniel Jositsch	11
Votes received by other persons	28
Votes cast	245
Invalid votes	5
Blank votes	19
Valid votes	221
Absolute majority	111

Seat held by Johann Schneider-Ammann

Johann Schneider-Ammann (FDP.The Liberals) was reelected in the first round of voting.

	Round 1
Johann Schneider-Ammann	191
Votes received by other persons	28
Votes cast	244
Invalid votes	2
Blank votes	23
Valid votes	219
Absolute majority	110

Seat held by Alain Berset

Alain Berset (SPS/PSS) was reelected in the first round of voting.

	Round 1
Alain Berset	210
Votes received by other persons	23
Votes cast	243
Invalid votes	2
Blank votes	8
Valid votes	233
Absolute majority	117

Vacant seat

Guy Parmelin (SVP/UDC) was elected to the Federal Council after three rounds of voting.

	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3
Guy Parmelin	90	117	138
Thomas Aeschi	61	78	88
Norman Gobbi	50	30	11
Thomas Hurter	22	-	-
Viola Amherd	16	-	-
Votes received by other persons	4	14	-
Votes cast	245	244	243
Invalid votes	0	0	0
Blank votes	2	5	6
Valid votes	243	239	237
Absolute majority	122	120	119