Susanne Vincenz-Stauffacher and Benjamin Mühlemann | FDP Switzerland

Vincenz-Stauffacher and Mühlemann have a challenging job on their hands. The over 130-year-old FDP, one of the proud founding parties of the Swiss federal state, is in decline. Its share of the vote, continually falling in recent years, stood at a paltry 14 per cent in the last federal elections. The FDP is now only the third-biggest party behind the right-wing SVP and the SP. If it fails to improve its showing in the 2027 elections, it could lose one of its two seats on the Federal Council. This would be a new low for a party to whom all members of the Federal Council belonged during the first 40 years of the modern federal Swiss state. 

The new co-leaders cover a broad political spectrum: she is regarded as progressive, he is seen as conservative. Both consider this a strength and have put on an optimistic front, saying that the FDP provides a “safe pair of hands” and is focused on maintaining prosperity. Yet it was when the two were elected at the FDP’s October conference in Berne no less that potential splits in the party were laid bare. Before the event, a big row had broken out over the new package of agreements with the European Union. Framed in the media as the FDP’s “moment of truth”, delegates crossed swords on the issue in an otherwise civilised debate. The conference emphatically endorsed the Swiss-EU accords in the end, following the lead of FDP Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis in adopting a European-friendly stance. Vincenz-Stauffacher voted in favour, Mühlemann voted against. It remains to be seen whether this decision by the party grassroots helps to sharpen the FDP’s profile or alienates voters.