[3] On 14 June 2017, the FDP councillor Didier Burkhalter (elected to the council in 2009) announced he would resign effective 31 October.

[5] Due to all parties being implied in the vote, the candidates' ideological differences entered in play as they tried forming a coalition to be elected.

After initial speculation on Alain Berset or Guy Parmelin taking Burkhalter's former position,[4] no reshuffling occurred and he assumed the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

Green leader Regula Rytz (GPS-BE) and cantonal executive councillor Jacqueline de Quattro (FDP-Vaud) deplored the non-election of a woman in the council; de Quattro cited the attention given to Moret's parental duties,[8] and proposed a two-women ticket in the next election, which would be achieved the following year.

Alain Berset (SP-FR) was supported by all groups, as he had served the longest on the Federal Council since 2012 without being president and was vice-president the previous year.