Worldwide
Guide to Women in Leadership
Switzerland/Swiss
Confederation/ Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft/Confédération Suisse/
Confederazione Suizzera/ Confederaziun Helvetica
(Female suffrage 1971)
See
also Parliament
1984-89
Federal Councillor of Justice and Police Elisabeth Kopp
1984-89
Substitute Councillor of Finance
1989 Vice-President of the Confederation (1.1-12.1.89)
Between 1974-75 President of the Grossrat (Grand Council) of Zürich, Had
to resign from the government because of a scandal of which she was later
cleared in court. (b. 1934-)
1993-2002
Federal Councillor of Interior Ruth Dreifuss
1993-2002
Substitute Councillor
of Economic Affairs
1998 Vice-President of the Confederation (1.1.-31.12.)
1998 Bundespräsidentin, Presidente de la Confédération (1.1-31.12)
The Interior-resort includes the Departments of Social Affairs, Health,
Education, Science and Research, Culture and Equality. (b. 1940-)
1999-2003
Federal Councillor of Justice and Police Ruth Metzler-Arnold
1999-2003
Substitute Councillor of Finance
2003 Vice-President of the Federation
2004 Designate
Federal President
Ruth Metzler was considered a
future hope of Swiss politics but was
was narrowly defeated for re-election
in 2003
as the first Councillor of State not to be reelected
for 131 years, as the parliament preferred a 18 years older
man from her party, who then took over the post of Federal President, which
she would have
occupied, had she remained in
office. He resigned two years later. She
was
Sächelmeisterin, Councillor of
Finance 1996-99
and Vice-President
of the Government 1998-99 of the Kanton Appenzell-Innerhoden. (b. 1964-).
2000-07
Federal Chancellor Annemarie Huber-Hotz
She was Secretary General for the National Assembly 1992-99. As
Bundeskanzlerin/Chancellière de la Confédération/Cancelliera della
Confederazione she has the rang of a Federal Counciller and is the Chief of
Staff, Secretary General, advisor and coordinator of the government business,
an important post, since the presidency rotates every year between the
Government Councillors. (b. 1948-)
2003- Federal Councillor of Foreign Affairs
Micheline Calmy-Rey
2003- Substitute Councillor of Interior
2006 Vice-President of the Confederation
2007 President of the Confederation
Former President of the Socialist Party of Génève, she was President of the
Grand Conseil of Génève 1993, Councillor of Finance 1997-2002,
Vice-President of the Cantonal Government 2000-01 and
President of the Cantonal Government 2001-02. Until 2006 she was the only woman of 7 ministers
in a government whose average age was 62. (b. 1945-).
2006- Federal Councillor of Economic Affairs
Doris Leuthard
2006-
Substitute Councillor of Foreign Affairs
Grossrätin des Kantons Aargau 1997-2000, Vice-President of
Christian Democratic Party,
CVP 2001-04 and President of CVP
Schweiz 2004-06. Apart from Economic
Affairs she is in charge of Agriculture, Veterenary Affairs, Consumer
Affairs, Housing, Vocational Training and Technology and European Integration. (b. 1963-).
2008- Federal Councillor
of Justice and Police Eveline
Widmer-Sclumpf
2008- Substitute Councillor of Finance
She was elected by the Parliament instead of the SVP-Party leader and when
the accepted the the election, she was excluded from the party together with
the male candidate from the party, who also joined the government. She was
Councillor of Finance and Military of
Graubünden 1998-2007, Vice-President of the Government
2000 and 2004 and President of the Government 2001 and
2005. (b. 1956-)
2008- Designate Federal Chancellor Corina Casanova
Became Vice-Chancellor 2005 in succession to
Hanna Muralt Müller, who had been in office
since 1990.
(b. 1956-).
Last update 01.04.08