This article is intended for public administration leaders, policymakers, data professionals and academic observers who are seeking to understand how a National Statistical Office can evolve into a central node of a democratic data ecosystem. Focusing on the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), it provides an overview of key institutional and legal developments that have shaped the FSO's expanding role in the Swiss public administration. The article traces the development of the FSO's additional mandates in data management and in data science and artificial intelligence (AI) within their legal and political context. It further describes how the FSO supports federal and cantonal administrations in strengthening the conditions for data use across administrative levels, thereby supporting digital transformation and data-informed decision-making.
Ulrich et al. (2026) studied this question.