Recordon has an impressive biography for sure!

He announced his candidacy hoping that the moderate right parties CVP and FDP would challenge the SVP for Blocher's seat. He would've withdrawn his candidacy in that case. This unlikely scenario didn't happen. The CVP was considering to attack one of the FDP seats, this would be arithmetically conformable with the concordance idea. The CVP has lost its second seat to the SVP four years ago, but is now better represented in the parliament than the FDP.

The election of the federal council is running on TV this morning, so far only Leuenberger (SP) and Couchepin (FDP) have been elected (The ministries' leaders are re-elected in order of their years of service). I don't think there will be surprises but we shall see soon.