List of cantonal executives of Switzerland

This article lists the cantonal executives of Switzerland. Each canton of Switzerland has its own executive body, as well as legislative body. The Federal Council is the executive of the Swiss federal government, and is included for purposes of comparison.

Valais

Ticino

Grisons

Geneva

Vaud

Neuchâtel

Jura

Bern

Thurgau

Zurich

Aargau

Lucerne

Solothurn

Basel-Landschaft

Schaffhausen

Uri

Schwyz

Glarus

St. Gallen

Appenzell Innerrhoden

Appenzell Ausserrhoden

Obwalden

Nidwalden

Zug

Fribourg

Basel-Stadt

France

Italy

Liechten-
stein

Austria

Germany

The cantonal executives are collegial bodies, each with 5 or 7 members. They are generally called Regierungsrat (Executive Council) in German-speaking cantons and Conseil d'État (State Council) in French-speaking cantons.

General structure

Presidents of the executives

The above mentioned collegial bodies are formally chaired by a president. However those presidents are primus inter pares, that is a first among equals in the council; other than presiding over meetings and the ability to cast tie-breaking votes, the president only holds ceremonial powers.

In the list below, unless otherwise noted, the official name of the office of president of the respective cantonal executive is Regierungsratspräsident (Government council president).

Elections

The cantonal governments are directly elected every four years. In some cantons (e.g. Basel-Stadt), the voters can cast a presidential vote for a candidate they are already voting for as member of the government. The elected member who has also received the most votes for president takes that office for the entirety of their term on the council, i.e. 4 years. In other cantons the electorate only elects the council members, and the presidency rotates according to seniority among members (e.g. Zürich and also in the federal council).

The date of the elections is not the same as the date of the start of the tenure. For example, the elections in Aargau were held in 2020, but the tenure of the new Executive started on 1 January 2021.

List of Cantonal executives

Parties

Note: due to the multiple official languages of Switzerland, parties may have more than one abbreviation

•   BDP/PBD: Conservative Democratic Party (belonging to The Centre)
•   CSP/PCS: Christian Social Party
•   CSP OW: Christian Social Party of Obwalden
•   Centre: The Centre
•   CSPO: Christian Social People's Party of Upper Valais (belonging to The Centre)
•   CVP/PDC/PPD/PCD : Christian Democratic People's Party (belonging to The Centre)
•   FDP/PLR: FDP.The Liberals
•   GLP/PVL: Green Liberal Party
•   Green: Green Party
•   Ind: Independent
•   LDP: Liberal Democratic Party of Basel-Stadt (belonging to the FDP)
•   Lega: Ticino League
•   MCG: Geneva Citizens’ Movement
•   SP/PS: Social Democratic Party
•   SVP/UDC/PPS: Swiss People's Party

List as of July 2, 2022:

Canton			Executive Official name(s)	Members	Member list (president first and in bold)	Elections
						Prev	Next
	AG	Aargau	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	5[1]	Stephan Attiger[2] (FDP)   Markus Dieth (CVP)   Dexter Egli (SP)   Alex Hürzeler (SVP)   Jean-Pierre Gallati (SVP)	2020	2024
	AR	Appenzell Ausserrhoden	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	5[3]	Dölf Biasotto[2] (FDP)   Yves Noël Balmer (SP)   Hansueli Reutegger (SVP)   Paul Signer (FDP)   Alfred Stricker (Ind)	2019	2023
	AI	Appenzell Innerrhoden	State Commission Standeskommission (German)	7[4]	Roland Dähler[2] (Ind)   Monika Rüegg Bless (Centre)   Ruedi Eberle (SVP)   Roland Inauen (Ind)   Stefan Müller (Ind)   Ruedi Ulmann (centre)   Jakob Signer (Ind)
	BL	Basel-Landschaft	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	5[5]	Monica Gwind (FDP)   Anton Lauber (Centre)   Isaac Reber (Green)   Kathrin Schweizer (SP)   Thomas Weber (SVP)	2019
	BS	Basel-Stadt	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	7[6]	Beat Jans[7] (SP)   Conradin Cramer (LDP)   Lukas Engelberger (Centre)   Stephanie Eymann (LDP)   Esther Keller (GLP)   Tanja Soland (SP)   Kaspar Sutter (SP)	2020	2024
	BE	Bern	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German) Conseil exécutif (French)	7[8]	Christine Häsler (Greens)   Evi Allemann (SP)   Astrid Bärtschi (Centre)   Christoph Ammann (SP)   Philippe Müller (FDP)   Christoph Neuhaus (SVP)   Pierre Alain Schnegg (SVP)	2018	2022
	FR	Fribourg	Council of State Conseil d'État (French) Staatsrat (German)	7[9]	Olivier Curty (Centre)   Sylvie Bonvin-Sansonnens (Green)   Didier Castella (FDP)   Romain Collaud (FDP)   Philippe Demierre (SVP)   Jean-Pierre Siggen (Centre)   Jean-François Steiert (SP)	2017	2021
	GE	Geneva	Council of State Conseil d'État (French)	7[10]	Mauro Poggia (MCG)   Antonio Hodgers (Green)   Thierry Apothéloz (SP)   Serge Dal Busco (Center)   Anne Emery-Torracinta (SP)   Fabienne Fischer (Green)   Nathalie Fontanet (FDP)
	GL	Glarus	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	7[11]	Benjamin Mühlemann[2] (FDP)   Kaspar Becker (Centre)   Andrea Bettiga (FDP)   Markus Heer (SP)   Marianne Lienhard (SVP)	2018	2022
	GR	Grisons	Executive Council Regierung (German) Regenza (Romansh) Governo (Italian)	5[12]	Marcus Caduff (Centre)   Mario Cavigelli (Centre)   Jon Domenic Parolini (Centre)   Peter Peyer (SP)   Christian Rathgeb (FDP)	2018	2022
	JU	Jura	Government Gouvernement (French)	5[13]	David Eray (CSP)   Nathalie Barthoulot (SP)   Rosalie Beuret Siess (SP)   Martial Courtet (CVP)   Jacques Gerber (FDP)	2020	2024
	LU	Lucerne	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	5[14]	Guido Graf (centre)   Fabian Peter (FDP)   Marcel Schwerzmann (Ind)   Paul Winiker (SVP)   Reto Wyss (Centre)
	NE	Neuchâtel	Council of State Conseil d'État (French)	5[15]	Laurent Kurth (SP)   Laurent Favre (FDP)   Crystel Graf (FDP)   Alain Ribaux (FDP)   Florence Nater (SP)	2017	2021
	NW	Nidwalden	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	7[16]	Joe Christen (FDP)   Michèle Blöchliger (SVP)   Othmar Filliger (Centre)   Karin Kayser-Frutschi (Centre)   Therese Rotzer-Mathyer (Centre)   Res Schmid (SVP)   Peter Truttmann (GLP)	2018	2022
	OW	Obwalden	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	5[17]	Christoph Amstad (CVP)   Josef Hess (independent)   Cornelia Kaufmann-Hurschler(CVP)   Christian Schäli (CSP OW)   Daniel Wyler (SVP)	2018	2022
	SH	Schaffhausen	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	5[18]	Cornelia Stamm Hurter (SVP)   Martin Kessler (FDP)   Patrick Strasser (SP)   Dino Tamagni (SVP)   Walter Vogelsanger (SP)	2018	2022
	SZ	Schwyz	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	7[19]	Andreas Barraud [2] (SVP)   Herbert Huwiler (SVP)   Kaspar Michel (FDP)   Sandro Patierno (Centre)   Michael Stähli (Centre)   Petra Steimen-Rickenbacher (FDP)	2019	2023
	SO	Solothurn	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	5[20]	Remo Ankli [2] (FDP)   Peter Hodel (FDP)   Sandra Kolly-Altermatt (Centre)   Susanne Schaffner (SP)   Brigit Wyss (Green)	2017	2021
	SG	St. Gallen	Government Regierung (German)	7[21]	Fredy Fässler [7] (SP)   Laura Bucher (SP)   Bruno Damann (Centre)   Susanne Hartmann (Centre)   Stefan Kölliker (SVP)   Marc Mächler (FDP)   Beat Tinner (FDP)	2020	2024
	TG	Thurgau	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	5[22]	Cornelia Komposch-Breuer[7] (SP)   Dominik Diezi (Centre)   Monika Knill-Kradolfer (SVP)   Urs Martin (SVP)   Walter Schönholzer (FDP)
	TI	Ticino	Council of State Consiglio di Stato (Italian)	5[23]	Claudio Zali (Lega)   Manuele Bertoli (SP)   Raffaele De Rosa (Centre)   Norman Gobbi (Lega)   Christian Vitta (FDP)
	UR	Uri	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	7[24]	Urs Janett[2] (FDP)   Christian Arnold (SVP)   Urban Camenzind (Centre)   Daniel Furrer (Centre)   Beat Jörg (Centre)   Dimitri Moretti (SP)   Roger Nager (FDP)	2020	2024
	VS	Valais	Council of State Conseil d'État (French) Staatsrat (German)	5[25]	Roberto Schmidt (CSPO)   Christophe Darbellay (Centre)   Frédéric Favre (FDP)   Mathias Reynard (SP)   Franz Ruppen (SVP)
	VD	Vaud	Council of State Conseil d'État (French)	7	Christelle Luisier (FDP)   Frédéric Borloz (FDP)   Valérie Dittli (centre)   Nuria Gorrite (SP)   Isabelle Moret (FDP)   Rebecca Ruiz (SP)   Vassilis Venizelos (Green)
	ZG	Zug	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	7[26]	Martin Pfister[2] (Centre)   Andreas Hostettler (FDP)   Stephan Schleiss (SVP)   Heinz Tännler (SVP)   Silvia Thalmann-Gut (Centre)   Beat Villiger (Centre)   Florian Weber (FDP)	2019	2023
	ZH	Zürich	Executive Council Regierungsrat (German)	7[27]	Jacqueline Fehr[28] (SP)   Mario Fehr (independent)   Martin Neukom (Green)   Natalie Rickli (SVP)   Silvia Steiner (Centre)   Ernst Stocker (SVP)   Carmen Walker Späh (FDP)	2019	2023
	CH	Confederation	Federal Council Bundesrat (German) Conseil fédéral (French) Consiglio federale (Italian) Cussegl federal (Romansh)	7[29]	Alain Berset (SP)   Viola Amherd (Centre)   Guy Parmelin (SVP)   Ignazio Cassis (FDP)   Karin Keller-Sutter (FDP)   Albert Rösti (SVP)   Elisabeth Baume-Schneider (SP)	2019	2023

See also

• List of cantonal legislatures of Switzerland

Notes and references

1. "Gesamtregierungsrat - Kanton Aargau". www.ag.ch. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
2. President officially called Landammann
3. "Regierungsrat - Appenzell Ausserrhoden". www.ar.ch. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
4. "Standeskommission". Appenzell Innerrhoden (in German). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
5. "Regierungsrat". baselland.ch (in German). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
6. "Der Regierungsrat heisst Sie willkommen!". www.regierungsrat.bs.ch (in German). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
7. President officially called Regierungspräsident (Government president)
8. "Der Regierungsrat (Der Regierungsrat) Regierungsrat - Kanton Bern". www.rr.be.ch. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
9. "Les membres du Conseil d'Etat". www.fr.ch (in French). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
10. "Page d'accueil". ge.ch (in French). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
11. "Regierung – Kanton Glarus". www.gl.ch (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
12. "Regierung - Regierung". www.gr.ch. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
13. Jura, www jura ch, République et Canton du. "Le Gouvernement jurassien". www.jura.ch (in French). Retrieved 17 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
14. "Der Regierungsrat des Kantons Luzern - Kanton Luzern". www.lu.ch. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
15. "Conseil d'État - République et canton de Neuchâtel". www.ne.ch (in Swiss French). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
16. "Regierungsrat". www.nw.ch (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
17. "Kanton Obwalden Online: Übersicht". www.ow.ch. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
18. Schaffhausen, Staatskanzlei Kanton. "Der Regierungsrat - Kanton Schaffhausen". sh.ch (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
19. "Regierungsrat". www.sz.ch (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
20. "Regierung des Kantons Solothurn - Kanton Solothurn". so.ch. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
21. "Regierung | sg.ch". www.sg.ch. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
22. Kantonsparlament, Portal Kanton Thurgau Sie finden auf diesen Seiten vielfältige Informationen über das; Regierungsrat, den. "Regierung". www.tg.ch (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
23. "Stato e organizzazione - Repubblica e Cantone Ticino". www4.ti.ch. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
24. "Regierungsrat". www.ur.ch (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
25. "Gouvernement". www.vs.ch. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
26. "Regierungsrat". Kanton Zug (in German). Retrieved 17 February 2021.
27. "Government Council". Kanton Zürich. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
28. President officially called Regierungsratspräsident (President of the Government council)
29. The Federal Council (16 June 2023). "The seven members of the Federal Council".

External links

• "Kantonsregierungen". Federal Statistical Office (in German). Retrieved 3 November 2024.