She assumed Blocher's old portfolio as head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police.

Immediately after her election, she was excluded from the SVP/UDC party group's meetings, as was her colleague Samuel Schmid.

The Grisons branch stood by Widmer-Schlumpf, prompting its expulsion from the national party on 1 June.

In response, the former SVP Grisons section formed the Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland.

Due to a large amount of turnover on the Federal Council, she was the longest-serving member to have not yet served as its president.

After the Swiss People's Party won a record vote of over 29% in the 2015 general election, Widmer-Schlumpf announced she would not run for reelection to the Federal Council on 28 October 2015.