Emil Welti

Emil Welti was elected to the Swiss Federal Council, the seven-member executive council governing Switzerland. He served as a Federal Councillor for over 25 years, representing the canton of Aargau and the Radical Party.

Welti served his first of six terms as President of the Swiss Confederation. The presidency rotates annually among Federal Councillors; Welti held the office in 1869, 1872, 1876, 1880, 1884, and 1891.

Welti negotiated the treaty with Italy and the German states for the construction of the Gotthard Railway through the Swiss Alps. The treaty secured Swiss sovereignty over the route and financing from foreign powers, completed in 1882.

As President and head of the Federal Department of Justice, Welti played a key role in the total revision of the Swiss Federal Constitution. The new constitution, adopted in 1874, centralized powers, introduced direct democracy through referendums, and unified civil law.

Welti resigned from the Federal Council after failing to secure approval for the nationalization of the Swiss railways. His resignation marked the end of his 25-year tenure, during which he had been a dominant figure in Swiss politics.