Why isn't Esther Friedli running for the Federal Council?

Esther Friedli said on Friday to the news portal Toggenburg 24 that she wants to focus fully on her mandate as a member of the Council of States and continue to represent the interests of the Canton of St. Gallen in the upper chamber. For this reason, she will not run for the Federal Council. She also explained that she was honored that her name had been considered.

What position is Esther Friedli aiming for next year?

For next year, Friedli is aiming for reelection to the Council of States. She said she was pleased at the prospect of being reelected and being able to continue working on behalf of St. Gallen. The source does not report an election result: it therefore describes a stated goal, not a reelection that has already taken place.

Who else has withdrawn from the race to succeed Guy Parmelin?

In recent days, National Councillor Magdalena Martullo-Blocher, SVP President Marcel Dettling and Vaud National Councillor Sylvain Freymond had also withdrawn. The report places these withdrawals in the race to succeed Guy Parmelin, but does not indicate who the successor will be or list any additional candidates.

Esther Friedli is not running for the Federal Council

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 10 October 2026

The Swiss Federal Palace in Bern, symbol of the race to succeed Guy Parmelin.

Esther Friedli will not run for the Federal Council She wants to remain in the upper house for St.

Context

TL;DR

Esther Friedli will not run for the Federal Council
She wants to remain in the upper chamber for St. Gallen
She is aiming for re-election next year
Martullo-Blocher, Dettling and Freymond have withdrawn

Key facts

Person → Esther Friedli
Position → member of the Council of States
Decision → withdrawal from her candidacy for the Federal Council
Goal → re-election to the Council of States next year
Canton → St. Gallen
Age → 49
Source → Toggenburg 24 news portal
Succession → Guy Parmelin

Esther Friedli, a Swiss People’s Party member of the Council of States for the canton of St. Gallen, told the news portal “Toggenburg 24” on Friday that she would not run for the Federal Council. She explained that she wanted to devote all her energy to her mandate and continue representing the interests of her canton in the upper chamber.

The stated priority

Next year, Friedli is aiming for re-election to the Council of States. In the interview, she said: > “I would be pleased to be re-elected and to continue working with all my strength and determination for St. Gallen.”

The 49-year-old added that she was honored that her name had been considered, but that she could not imagine leaving her position as a member of the Council of States after three and a half years.

The decision comes amid the race to succeed Guy Parmelin. In the preceding days, National Councillor Magdalena Martullo-Blocher, Swiss People’s Party President Marcel Dettling, and Vaud National Councillor Sylvain Freymond had also withdrawn. The text provided does not report the outcome of the race.

Operational details

The meaning of the withdrawal

At national level, the decision has a precise but limited effect: Friedli is not entering the race for the Federal Council and instead identifies re-election to the Council of States as her objective for next year. For the Canton of St. Gallen, the stated message is the desire to continue representing cantonal interests in the upper chamber.

Mandate and candidacy do not coincide

The source separates two horizons. On the one hand, there is the mandate as a member of the Council of States, which Friedli wants to continue; on the other, there is the candidacy for the Federal Council, which she has decided not to submit. Re-election is therefore a declared objective, not a result already reported.

The list of withdrawals should also be read with caution. Martullo-Blocher, Dettling and Freymond joined Friedli in withdrawing as part of the succession to Guy Parmelin, but the source does not indicate which names remain in the race or who will take up the position. Attributing a successor or a new candidacy based on this announcement alone would mean going beyond the available data.

The news contains no figures or measures concerning salaries, taxes, insurance or the cost of living; it therefore does not allow direct effects of the decision on these items to be attributed. For a separate in-depth look, the guide on costo della vita in Svizzera is available.

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Key points

How to follow the matter correctly

To read the announcement without confusing the different levels, it is advisable to proceed in three steps.

Record the established fact: Esther Friedli will not stand for the Federal Council.
Separate the future objective: next year, she is aiming for re-election to the Council of States.
Keep the names mentioned distinct: in addition to Friedli, the source mentions Magdalena Martullo-Blocher, Marcel Dettling and Sylvain Freymond as people who have withdrawn.

This check avoids turning a declaration of a candidacy not being submitted into a nomination that has already been decided. The text does not indicate documents to submit, further deadlines or the name of Guy Parmelin's successor. The only operational time reference reported is next year, linked to Friedli's re-election to the Council of States.

Those seeking an effect on their own income should instead bear in mind that the source provides no data on salary or deductions. For a separate reading of busta paga svizzera, information different from that contained in this news item is needed. For a personal calculation, use calcolatore stipendio/imposte.

Source: rsi.ch

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't Esther Friedli running for the Federal Council?: Esther Friedli said on Friday to the news portal Toggenburg 24 that she wants to focus fully on her mandate as a member of the Council of States and continue to represent the interests of the Canton of St. Gallen in the upper chamber. For this reason, she will not run for the Federal Council. She also explained that she was honored that her name had been considered.
What position is Esther Friedli aiming for next year?: For next year, Friedli is aiming for reelection to the Council of States. She said she was pleased at the prospect of being reelected and being able to continue working on behalf of St. Gallen. The source does not report an election result: it therefore describes a stated goal, not a reelection that has already taken place.
Who else has withdrawn from the race to succeed Guy Parmelin?: In recent days, National Councillor Magdalena Martullo-Blocher, SVP President Marcel Dettling and Vaud National Councillor Sylvain Freymond had also withdrawn. The report places these withdrawals in the race to succeed Guy Parmelin, but does not indicate who the successor will be or list any additional candidates.