Page "Politics of Switzerland" Paragraph 8

The Swiss executive is one of the most stable governments worldwide.

Since 1848, it has never been renewed entirely at the same time, providing a long-term continuity.

From 1959 to 2003 the Federal Council was composed of a coalition of all major parties in the same ratio: 2 each from the Free Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party and Christian Democratic People's Party and 1 from the Swiss People's Party.

Changes in the council occur typically only if one of the members resigns ( merely four incumbent members were voted out of the office in over 150 years ); this member is almost always replaced by someone from the same party ( and often also from the same linguistic group ).