New Presidium at the Federal Administrative Cour

On 18 December 2024, following the proposal of the Federal Administrative Court, the Federal Assembly elected Claudia Cotting-Schalch and Contessina Theis as President and Vice-President respectively of the Federal Administrative Court for 2025 and 2026. By law, both will also sit on the Administrative Commission. Claudia Cotting-Schalch has been a judge with the Federal Administrative Court since 2007. She was a member of the Administrative Commission for four years – from 2019 to 2022 – and served as Vice-President of the Court in 2024. Before that, she chaired Division IV (asylum matters) for six years and the Presidential Council for one year. Since April 2021, she has been with Division VI (foreigners and citizenship). “It is our mission to strengthen confidence in the rule of law by rendering independent and carefully reasoned judgments in a timely manner,” says the new President. “I am looking forward to working together with my colleagues to further advance the Court.”

New members of the Administrative Commission
The new Vice-President, Contessina Theis, is a lawyer and has worked at the Federal Administrative Court since 2007. She has been president of Division IV from 2021 to 2023. On 10 December 2024, the Plenary Court designated the three remaining members of the Administrative Commission for the 2025/2026 term of office: Judge Keita Mutombo (in office), Judge Roswitha Petry (in office) and Judge Beat Weber. The Federal Administrative Court Act limits the terms of office of the President and Vice-President, as well as of the three other members of the Administrative Commission, to two years – with the possibility of a single re-election term for each.

Accordingly, on 10 December 2024 the Plenary Court elected the six divisional presidents. In 2025 and 2026, the Divisions will be chaired by the following presidents: Division I by Judge Iris Widmer; Division II by Judge Mia Fuchs; Division III by Judge Vito Valenti (in 2025); Division IV by Judge Gérald Bovier (in office); Division V by Judge Barbara Balmelli-Mühlematter (in office); and Division VI by Judge Gregor Chatton (in office). In accordance with the Federal Administrative Court Act, divisional presidents are elected for two years and may not hold office for longer than six years.