Each Federal Councillor is elected individually by secret ballot by an absolute majority of votes.
[2] Accordingly, the five persons who were elected but never assumed office are listed in a separate table below.
Once elected for a four-year-term, Federal Councillors can neither be voted out of office by a motion of no confidence nor can they be impeached.
In practice, therefore, Federal Councillors serve until they decide to resign and retire to private life, usually after three to five terms of office.
Conservative Democratic Party (BDP/PBD) The Federal Councillors currently serving are indicated with bold type.