[2][3] The name Complimentary election was coined in 1881 by Simon Kaiser, a member of the National Council from Solothurn.
[1] The Federal Councilors were not formally elected by the Swiss citizens, but the members of the National Council.
[3] If the Federal Councilor did not win the complimentary election, he was likely not going to be confirmed for another term by the National Council.
[5] His motion was mainly directed against by the candidacy to the National Council of the Solothurnese Federal Councilor Bernhard Hammer.
[12] Until the last time, he won all elections comfortably, but in the last one he lost and resigned before awaiting the verdict of the National Council.