| This is Switzerland, land of coalition governments, political compromise and cabinet "collégialité" (there are four political parties represented in the seven-member federal cabinet). The president is head of state much as Queen Elizabeth or the president of Germany, say: signs things into law, makes state visits, etc. Only here, he or she is also a serving cabinet member, so there's quite a workload involved in being both at once.
"I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything."
-- Viscount Melbourne |