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((Short description|none))
((Infobox election
| election_name = 2009 Swiss Federal Council election
| country = Switzerland
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2008 Swiss Federal Council election
| previous_year = 2008
| next_election = 2010 Swiss Federal Council election
| next_year = 2010
| election_date =  16 September 2009

| image1 = [[File:Didier Burkhalter (2007).jpg|100px]]
| nominee1 = [[Didier Burkhalter]]
| party1 = Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
| electoral_vote1 = 129

| image2 = [[File:Urs Schwaller (2007).jpg|100px]]
| nominee2 = [[Urs Schwaller]]
| party2 = Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
| electoral_vote2 = 106

| image3 = [[File:Christian luescher.jpg|100px]]
| nominee3 = [[Christian Lüscher]]
| party3 = Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
| electoral_vote3 = 4

| title = Federal Councillor
| before_election = [[Pascal Couchepin]]
| before_party = Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
| after_election = [[Didier Burkhalter]]
| after_party = Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
))

A '''by-election to the [[Swiss Federal Council]]''' was held in [[Switzerland]] on 16 September 2009,<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/gefaehrlicher_flirt_mit_der_mitte-1.2788440|title=Gefährlicher Flirt mit der Mitte - NZZ|date=21 June 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref> after incumbent Federal Councillor [[Pascal Couchepin]] ([[Free Democratic Party of Switzerland|Free Democratic Party]], FDP/PLR) announced his intention to retire on 31 October 2009.

Some saw the election as an important decision regarding whom the "fourth seat" in the Federal Council belonged to (the FDP or the CVP), and as an indirect political decision regarding whether the SP or the SVP would have more influence in the future.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/der_umstrittene_vierte_sitz_im_siebnergremium_bundesrat-1.3537530|title=Der umstrittene vierte Sitz im Siebnergremium Bundesrat|first1=Von Michael|last1=Hermann|first2=Heiri |last2=Leuthold |date=10 September 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref>

[[Didier Burkhalter]] (FDP/PLR) was elected to succeed Couchepin in the fourth ballot.

==Candidates and party positions==
The election became a contest between the center-right [[Free Democratic Party of Switzerland|Free Democrats]] and the centrist [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|Christian Democrats]], who both claimed to be entitled to the free Council seat. The right-wing [[Swiss People's Party]] and the left-wing [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]]'s support, however, will decide the outcome.<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.tagblatt.ch/aktuell/schweiz/tb-in/Bundesrat-Fulvio-Pelli-;art143,1335030|title=Bundesrat Fulvio Pelli?|website=tagblatt.ch))</ref>

===Free Democratic Party===
The FDP entered the election trying to retain Pascal Couchepin's seat. Representative [[Didier Burkhalter]] ([[Canton of Neuchâtel|Neuchâtel]]) announced his candidacy on 8 July 2009,<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/didier_burkhalter_will_bundesrat_werden-1.2961915|title=Didier Burkhalter – ein Bundesrat der Mitte - NZZ|date=8 July 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref> followed by the [[Canton of Geneva|Genevan]] representatives [[Christian Lüscher]] on 9 July and [[Martine Brunschwig Graf]] on 12 July,<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/auch_martine_brunschwig_graf_zeigt_interesse-1.3012409|title=Auch Martine Brunschwig Graf zeigt Interesse - NZZ|date=12 July 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref> as well as [[Pascal Broulis]] ([[Vaud]]) on 6 August.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/broulis-1.3286837|title=Pascal Broulis setzt die Segel|first=Von Christophe|last=Büchi|date=6 August 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref> Party president [[Fulvio Pelli]], while not officially putting himself forward, stated that he would stand in the election if nominated by his party.

The FDP decided on 29 August to nominate two candidates, Burkhalter and Lüscher. Lüscher was seen as a right-wing candidate and Burkhalter as a centrist; some speculated that the FDP had nominated Lüscher to appease the SVP, while wanting Burkhalter to be elected. This strategy was considered to be risky, however, as a final vote between the FDP's Lüscher and the CVP's Schwaller would likely see Schwaller's election.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/fdp_oeffnet_ihren_gegnern_eine_flanke-1.3445935|title=FDP öffnet ihren Gegnern eine Flanke - NZZ|first=Heidi|last=Gmür|date=29 August 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref> The FDP claimed that Lüscher was not at all meant as an appeasement, and that he was as legitimate a candidate as Burkhalter.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/christian_luescher_kein_alibi-kandidat-1.3525502|title=Christian Lüscher kein "Alibi-Kandidat" - NZZ|date=9 September 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref>

Shortly before the election, [[Dick Marty]] (FDP [[Ticino]]) announced without the support of his party that he would accept an election; it was seen as possible that some SP and Green representatives might support him.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/schlagabtausch_zwischen_sp_und_svp-1.3556227|title=Schlagabtausch zwischen SP und SVP - NZZ|date=13 September 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref>

===Christian Democratic Party===
The [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|Christian Democratic People's Party]] (CVP/PDC) also stated it was entitled to a second seat. [[Dominique de Buman]] from the CVP [[Canton of Fribourg|Fribourg]] announced his candidacy on 7 August 2009.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/bundesrat_wahlen_couchepin_cvp_kandidaten-1.3293282|title="Nicht weiter tragisch" - NZZ|date=7 August 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref> [[Urs Schwaller]] (CVP Fribourg) will also stand. Furthermore, [[Luigi Pedrazzini (politician)|Luigi Pedrazzini]] (CVP Ticino) was nominated on 31 August 2009.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/tessiner_cvp_schickt_pedrazzini_ins_bundesratsrennen-1.3453918|title=Tessiner CVP schickt Pedrazzini ins Bundesratsrennen - NZZ|date=31 August 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref> On 8 September 2009, the CVP unanimously nominated Schwaller.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/die_cvp_greift_mit_urs_schwaller_an-1.3519483|title="Mister Perfect" soll zweiten CVP-Bundesratssitz holen - NZZ|date=8 September 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref>

===Swiss People's Party===
The [[Swiss People's Party]] (SVP/UDC) maintained that it was entitled to a second seat on the Federal Council, but that it had not yet decided when to try and obtain it. The SVP announced that it would only support the FDP's candidate if the FDP agreed to a fixed timetable for the election of a second SVP councilor. The SVP was strongly considering proposing their own candidate, with [[Jean-François Rime]] (SVP Fribourg) the only likely candidate;<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/fdp_bundesrat_wahlen_fdp-1.3439975|title=Die FDP steigt mit Burkhalter und Lüscher ins Rennen - NZZ|date=28 August 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref> if they do not propose their own candidate, they stated they would only vote for FDP candidates, as they do not recognize the CVP's claim to a second seat.

===Social Democratic Party===
SP representatives stated that they would consider the candidates of CVP and FDP on their own merits, as they don't see either of the two parties having a natural claim to the seat; supporting the Greens was seen as unlikely, but possible. The FDP's Pelli was the only candidate the SP ruled out supporting.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/pelli_hat_bei_uns_keine_grossen_chancen-1.3432049|title=SP-Präsident Levrat zeigt Pelli die rote Karte |date=28 August 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref> Analysts stated the SP had to take into account that it would likely shortly have to replace [[Moritz Leuenberger]]'s seat, and that it couldn't risk alienating the FDP too strongly.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/die_wahl_eines_nachfolgers_fuer_bundesrat_couchepin_als_spielfeld_der_parteitaktiker-1.3539994|title=Verwirrspiele, Würgegriffe und ein Richtungsentscheid - NZZ|date=11 September 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref> The SVP almost directly threatened it might vote against the SP's second candidate and for a Green candidate in the next complete renewal of the Federal Council in 2011.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/fuer_die_sp_koennte_es_sich_2011_raechen-1.3550608|title="Für die SP könnte es sich 2011 rächen" - NZZ|date=12 September 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref>
Shortly before the election, the SP declared that it was not decided that its members would prefer Schwaller; while he was closer to the SP on the issues, some members of the SP were reluctant to vote for a non-FDP candidate on institutional grounds. The SP also stated it would openly announce its voting behaviour (likely in an attempt to show that some SVP members – likely from constituencies strongly influenced by the farming community – would vote for Schwaller, who had tried to raise his profile as a critic of agricultural free trade with the EU).

===Greens===
The Greens decided on 28 August not to propose a candidate for the seat, as they had done in the two previous elections when SVP seats were contested, because they considered the time not to be right.

===Conservative Democrats===
The small [[Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland|Conservative Democratic Party]] (BDP) stated that if any agreement to replace [[Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf]] with a SVP representative came to pass, the party would vote for the CVP's candidate.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/couchepin-nachfolge-1.2736429|title=FDP und CVP kämpfen um Couchepin-Nachfolge - NZZ|date=14 June 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref> Furthermore, the BDP proposed giving the BDP's votes to the CVP candidate in exchange for the CVP's support for Widmer-Schlumpf's reelection in 2011.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.nzz.ch/grunders_neue_kleider-1.2739655|title=Grunders neue Kleider - NZZ|date=14 June 2009|publisher=|via=NZZ))</ref>

==Procedure==
Federal Council elections proceed in as many ballots as are required for a candidate to receive an absolute majority of valid votes. Each of the 246 members of the Federal Assembly, members of the National Council and the Council of States alike, hold one vote. Article 132, par. 3 and 4 of the Parliament Act provides that:<ref>((cite swiss law
  | sr   = 171.10
  | link = 171_10
  | art  = 132     
  | en   = Federal Act on the Federal Assembly (Parliament Act)
  | enab = ParlA))</ref>

((quote|1=<sup>3</sup> In the first two ballots, any person who is eligible for election may be voted for. From the third ballot onwards, no additional candidatures are permitted.

<sup>4</sup> Excluded from the election are: <br />a. those who obtain fewer than ten votes from the second ballot onwards; and <br />b. the person who receives the lowest number of votes from the third ballot onwards, unless more than one person receives this same number of votes.))

==Results==
((more citations needed|reason=needed for full results.|date=January 2017))
{| class="wikitable" border="1" align="center"
|- 
! colspan=2 | Candidates !! Ballot 1 !! Ballot 2 !! Ballot 3 !! Ballot 4
|-
! [[File:Didier Burkhalter (2007).jpg|60px|Didier Burkhalter]]
| '''[[Didier Burkhalter]]''' || 58 || 72 || 80 ||'''129'''
|-
! [[File:Christian luescher.jpg|60px|Christian Lüscher]]
| [[Christian Lüscher]] || 73 || 72 || 63 || (4)
|-
! [[File:Dick Marty (2007).jpg|60px|Dick Marty]]
| [[Dick Marty]] || 34 || (12) || (5) || —
|-
! [[File:Urs Schwaller (2007).jpg|60px|Urs Schwaller]]
| [[Urs Schwaller]] || 79 || 89 || 95 || 106 
|-
| colspan=2 | Other persons || 1<ref>[[Fulvio Pelli]], according to one member's [http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/splitter_aus_der_wandelhalle_1.3571043.html statement to the media]. Persons receiving less than ten votes are not officially reported by name.</ref> || 0 || 0 || 0 
|-
| colspan=2 | Votes cast || 245 || 245 || 243 || 245 
|-
| colspan=2 | Invalid votes || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 
|-
| colspan=2 | Blank votes || 0 || 0 || 0 || 5 
|-
| colspan=2 | Valid votes || 245 || 245 || 243 || 239  
|-
| colspan=2 | Absolute majority || 123 || 123 || 122 || 120 
|}

After the first ballot, Dick Marty asked his colleagues, in a personal statement, to support his party's official candidates.
After the third ballot, Christian Lüscher asked his colleagues to support Didier Burkhalter.
Didier Burkhalter accepted his election to Federal Councillor.

==References==

((Reflist|2))

==External links==
*((Commons category-inline|Bundesratswahl 2009))

((Swiss Federal Council elections))
((Swiss Federal Council))
((Portal bar|Politics|Switzerland))

[[Category:2009 elections in Switzerland|Federal Council election]]
[[Category:Swiss Federal Council elections|2009 Federal Council election]]

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