The Swiss Federal Assembly has elected Minister of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications Simonetta Sommaruga to serve as president in 2020
GENEVA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th December, 2019) The Swiss Federal Assembly has elected Minister of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications Simonetta Sommaruga to serve as president in 2020.Voting took place on Wednesday during a meeting of both chambers of the Swiss Federal Assembly. They elected Sommaruga, who is a member of the Social Democratic Party, to take the largely ceremonial post for a one-year term. She previously held the post of president in 2015.
Also during the voting procedure, which was broadcast online, Swiss lawmakers elected all seven federal advisers for terms running from 2020-2023.
Sommaruga has combined the post of federal adviser and vice-president of Switzerland since January 1. She will replace Ueli Maurer as the country's president. The current head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, education and Research, Guy Parmelin, will assume the role of vice-president next year.
The Swiss president, heading the seven-member Federal Council, is elected for a 12-month term annually. The position is symbolic as the president has no additional powers in comparison with the other members of the council.
