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EXPLAINED: Who is Switzerland’s new President Ignazio Cassis?

Ignazio Cassis was elected Swiss President on Wednesday, marking the first time in 24 years someone from Italian-speaking Switzerland has the top job.

Published: 9 December 2021 11:34 CET
Incoming Swiss President Ignazio Cassis. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP
Swiss President Ignazio Cassis. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

On Wednesday, December 8th at noon, Ignazio Cassis was elected by Swiss parliament as the country’s new President. 

Cassis’ term will begin on January 1st. In his acceptance speech, he pledged Switzerland “would not allow itself to be divided” amid the Covid pandemic. 

Ignazio Cassis: Switzerland swears in new President

“The pandemic has not divided us – because we cannot be divided” Cassis said. “The virus will stay, but the crisis will come to an end.”

But wait, I don’t remember an election? 

The transfer of presidential power in Switzerland is not only peaceful, it takes place with relatively little fanfare, with only a small handover to indicate someone new is in the top job. 

While there usually is a ceremony in mid-December, this has been postponed due to the pandemic and will take place in 2022. 

The Presidential role is largely ceremonial, with members of the Federal Council elected to the position on an annual basis. 

Swiss Presidents are seen as “primus inter pares” (first among equals) among their six Federal Council colleagues and is technically not a ‘head of state’ as he or she might be in different countries. 

Generally, the member of the Federal Council who has not been President for the longest period of time will be elected to the position. 

READ MORE: A foreigner’s guide to understanding Swiss politics in five minutes

Health Minister Alain Berset was elected to the vice presidency on Wednesday, meaning he will likely take the top job in 2023. 

Who is Cassis then? 

Ignazio Cassis, a medical doctor by training, comes from the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino. 

He’s only the fifth President from the region and is the first to take the top job in 24 years. 

He has been the Foreign Affairs Minister since he joined the Federal Council in 2017 and will retain the job while serving as president. 

READ MORE: Switzerland elects Guy Parmelin to Presidency 

What is he like? 

Cassis comes from the Liberal Party, which is conservative and pro-business party, but more socially progressive than the far-right Swiss People’s Party, which provided the outgoing President Guy Parmelin. 

Cassis has been criticised for gaffes in the past, although he is considered a consensus builder who is likely to be purposefully disruptive in office.  

How much does he earn? 

OK so now it’s getting juicy!

Switzerland being as expensive as it is, the President earns a high salary – and next year it is getting a little higher. 

The current presidential salary is 454,581 per year, which will go up by 1,000CHF per month in 2022. 

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POLITICS

Vital Swiss role as US-Iran go-between, as tensions soar

Washington and Tehran have not had diplomatic relations for decades, but before Iran's attack on Israel they had direct communications through "the Swiss channel".

Published: 15 April 2024 23:19 CEST
Vital Swiss role as US-Iran go-between, as tensions soar

Switzerland represents US interests in Iran, and at times of soaring tensions its role as go- between takes on heightened importance.

The Swiss foreign ministry refused Monday to divulge what actions the country had taken in connection with Iran’s weekend attack on Israel.

But US and Iranian officials alluded to the important role Switzerland was playing as an intermediary.

As Washington engaged in whirlwind efforts prior to the attack to prepare for the expected violence, it sent “a series of direct communications through the Swiss channel”, a senior administration official told AFP.

Mohammad Bagheri, the Iranian armed forces’ chief of staff, was more explicit, telling state television that “we sent a message to America through the Swiss embassy that if it cooperates with Israel in their next potential actions, their bases will not be secure”.

 Maintaining relations 

Switzerland, renowned for its neutrality, has been representing US interests in Iran since Washington broke off relations with Tehran after the 1980 hostage crisis, a year after the Iranian revolution.

In its role as the so-called protecting power, Switzerland has for decades allowed the two feuding nations to maintain a minimum of diplomatic and consular relations.

The Swiss embassy in Tehran handles all consular affairs between the United States and Iran, including passport requests, altering civil status and consular protection for US citizens in Iran.

Under the protecting power mandate, Switzerland allows “states to maintain low-level relations and provide consular protection to nationals of the other state concerned”, the foreign ministry explains on its website.

“Switzerland can either offer to act as a go-between on its own initiative or can fulfil this function at the request of the parties concerned, provided that all those involved agree,” it added.

Switzerland has often had to play the go-between role.

The country has on several occasions in recent years mediated in prisoner exchanges between Iran and the United States.

Iran’s interests in the United States are meanwhile represented by Pakistan.

Switzerland also exercises a range of other protecting power mandates.

It represents Iran’s interests in Egypt and Canada.

And it represented Iran’s interests in Saudi Arabia for five years before the two countries resumed diplomatic relations last year.

Saudi has not yet formally terminated Switzerland’s protecting power mandate, so Bern still handles its consular services in Iran.

And until 2015, it represented US interests in Cuba and Cuban interests in the United States.

Switzerland first acted as a protecting power in the 19th century. It looked after the interests of the Kingdom of Bavaria and the Grand Duchy of Baden in France during the 1870-71 Franco- Prussian War.

During World War II, Switzerland’s neutral status paved the way for it to be the main protecting power, representing the interests of 35 states, including the major warring powers, with more than 200 individual mandates.

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