Editing Ruth Dreifuss (section)

== Election to the Federal Council ==
[[File:Ruth Dreifuss und Christiane Brunner.jpg|thumb|Ruth Dreifuss (left) and Christiane Brunner on 8 March 1993]]

After the resignation of [[René Felber]] from the Federal Council, a member of the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]] was supposed to be elected, according to the unofficial "[[Swiss Federal Council#Party representation|magic formula]]" used to determine the representation of the Swiss parties at the Federal Council. While [[Christiane Brunner]] was the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]]'s official candidate for the election on 3 March 1993, the right-wing parties decided to back another member of the Social Democratic Party, [[Francis Matthey]], a member of the national parliament and a Minister of the [[Canton of Neuchâtel]] at that time who declined election, as his party did not support it.

A new election was organized on 10 March 1993, and the Social Democratic Party presented both Ruth Dreifuss and [[Christiane Brunner]] as the two official candidates. It was the first time that two women were on the official "ticket" for election, and Ruth Dreifuss was elected on the 3rd round with 144 votes.