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Is it the expertise? cosmopolitanism? Or that you are good with people? In the “Club”, for example, a former Federal Councilor answered what it takes for the office of Federal Councilor.
What qualities and skills are crucial if you want to become a member of the Federal Council? This question is currently not only occupying the five candidates who want to succeed SVP Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer. Former Federal Councilor Hans-Rudolf Merz, who was in office from 2003 to 2010, answered them from his own experience in the “Club” program.
attitude and passion
According to Merz, anyone who wants to be in the Federal Council needs a clear line, a solid opinion. And you have to be willing to get totally involved in this office: “That’s a basic requirement.”
From the time of the election, your whole life changes: everyday life is completely clocked, private life is severely restricted, safety precautions have to be taken: “One day my wife called me and said that a couple of tradesmen had wired our house, one on the upper floor Ripped out the wall and installed a double door with a spyhole in the bedroom – I had no idea about it. »
Character: The dear and kind win
Openness, ambition, humor: All of these are qualities that would benefit you as a member of the Federal Council, according to Merz. However, one thing is absolutely necessary: compatibility. The Federal Council as a body can only achieve its goal if the members get along on a human level.
This was also emphasized by journalist Eva Novak, who has been reporting from the Federal Palace for over 30 years: the ability to work in a team is crucial. This also includes maintaining contact with parliamentarians and networking. Those who treat people with respect and can talk to everyone instead of polarizing or putting themselves too much in the foreground have better chances.
This assessment coincides with a recently published study by the University of Bern, which came to the conclusion: “On election day, the dear and nice get the most votes.”
leadership skills
Anyone who sits on the Federal Council is the boss of thousands of employees. This is a factor that all candidates would underestimate, according to Merz. For Philippe Hertig, leadership is even the Federal Council’s “main job”. Hertig is a partner at the consulting firm Egon Zehnder and specializes in the search for executives.
“A federal councilor must align his department strategically and operationally,” explained Hertig. “I have trouble when I see candidates who have neither executive nor managerial experience.” Hans-Rudolf Merz confirms: Precisely because a department consists of so many different areas, it is impossible to delve into all of them in detail: “At some point you realize that it is much more important to lead and set priorities.”
Agility on the international stage
Federal councilors also represent Switzerland abroad. It is therefore an advantage to be able to speak several foreign languages, said Bundeshaus journalist Eva Novak. However, the past has shown that a lack of knowledge can be compensated for.
For example, former Federal Councilor Adolf Ogi was not able to show off his perfect English, but his humane demeanor was convincing: “When he was traveling, he always had a rock crystal in his pocket and gave it away.” In this way, Ogi managed to establish friendly contacts with foreign ministers, even if they took completely different political positions.