Switzerland’s Parmelin will leave government at year-end

Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin announced his resignation, saying he will leave office at the end of the year, when his one-year term as the country’s rotating president also ends.

Parmelin, 66, is currently the longest-serving member of Switzerland’s executive, having been part of the government for more than a decade. The right-wing Swiss People’s Party politician will step down on Dec. 31, he said on Friday in Bern.

The Swiss presidency rotates among the members of government annually.

Swiss ministers are elected for four-year terms and there’s no limit to how many of those they can do. They typically stay in office for about a decade, according to the government website.

Currently finishing his second stint as president, Parmelin told reporters he believes he leaves Switzerland “well positioned to tackle challenges” and that it is time for others to take over.