Ruth Dreifuss
Encyclopedia
Ruth Dreifuss is a Swiss
politician affiliated with the Social Democratic Party
. She was a member of the Swiss Federal Council
from 1993 to 2002, representing the Canton of Geneva
).
She was elected to the Swiss Federal Council
on March 10, 1993, as the 100th member elected since the foundation of the federal state
, the second woman to be elected to the council, and the only councillor with a Jewish background so far.
She was the President of the Confederation in 1999, the first woman to hold this position.
She is member of the World Knowledge Dialogue Scientific Board.
and worked as a journalist at Coopération
from 1961 to 1964.
She was an assistant at the University of Geneva from 1970 to 1972, and then became scientific expert at the Federal Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation between 1972 and 1981. She was then the Secretary of the Swiss Trade Union until her election to the Swiss Federal Council in 1993.
Dreifuss was a social-democratic member of the City of Bern's Legislative Assembly from 1989 to 1992. She missed out the election to the National Council of Switzerland
in 1991.
She is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders
, an International network of current and former female leaders whose mission is to mobilize the highest-level women leaders globally for collective action on issues of critical importance to women and equitable development.
from the Swiss Federal Council, a member of the Social Democratic Party
was supposed to be elected, according to the unofficial "magic formula" used to determine the representation of the Swiss parties at the Federal Council. While Christiane Brunner
was the Social Democratic Party
's official candidate for the election on 3 March 1993, the right-wing parties decided to back another member of the Social Democratic Party, Francis Matthey
, a member of the national parliament and a Minister of the Canton of Neuchâtel
at that time who declined election, as his party did not support it.
A new election was organized on 10 March 1993, and the social Democratic Party presented both Ruth Dreifuss and Christiane Brunner
as the two official candidates. It was the first time that two women were on the official "ticket" for election, and Ruth Dreifuss was elected on the 3rd round with 144 votes.
until her resignation on 31 December 2002. She was the first woman ever to be elected President of the Confederation in 1999.
She won several referendums, including a revision of the Health Insurance Bill, the 10th revision of the social security
system, a drug policy based on prevention, therapy, help and rehabilitation, and a new law regarding the film industry and its development.
She worked on a Maternity Insurance law but since the majority of the Federal Council rejected the proposal, she had to ask the people to reject her own text, as she had to respect collegiality
.
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Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
politician affiliated with the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
. She was a member of the Swiss Federal Council
Swiss Federal Council
The Federal Council is the seven-member executive council which constitutes the federal government of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss collective head of state....
from 1993 to 2002, representing the Canton of Geneva
Canton of Geneva
The Republic and Canton of Geneva is the French speaking westernmost canton or state of Switzerland, surrounded on almost all sides by France. As is the case in several other Swiss cantons The Republic and Canton of Geneva is the French speaking westernmost canton or state of Switzerland,...
).
She was elected to the Swiss Federal Council
Swiss Federal Council
The Federal Council is the seven-member executive council which constitutes the federal government of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss collective head of state....
on March 10, 1993, as the 100th member elected since the foundation of the federal state
Switzerland as a federal state
The rise of Switzerland as a federal state began on September 12, 1848, with the creation of a federal constitution, which was created in response to a 27-day civil war in Switzerland, the Sonderbundskrieg...
, the second woman to be elected to the council, and the only councillor with a Jewish background so far.
She was the President of the Confederation in 1999, the first woman to hold this position.
She is member of the World Knowledge Dialogue Scientific Board.
Biography
Dreifuss obtained a Master of Economics of the University of GenevaUniversity of Geneva
The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...
and worked as a journalist at Coopération
Cooperation
Cooperation or co-operation is the process of working or acting together. In its simplest form it involves things working in harmony, side by side, while in its more complicated forms, it can involve something as complex as the inner workings of a human being or even the social patterns of a...
from 1961 to 1964.
She was an assistant at the University of Geneva from 1970 to 1972, and then became scientific expert at the Federal Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation between 1972 and 1981. She was then the Secretary of the Swiss Trade Union until her election to the Swiss Federal Council in 1993.
Dreifuss was a social-democratic member of the City of Bern's Legislative Assembly from 1989 to 1992. She missed out the election to the National Council of Switzerland
National Council of Switzerland
The National Council of Switzerland is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland. With 200 seats, it is the larger of the two houses....
in 1991.
She is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders
Council of Women World Leaders
The Council of Women World Leaders is a network of current and former women prime ministers and presidents established in 1996 by Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, President of Iceland and first woman in the world to be democratically elected president, and Laura Liswood, Secretary General...
, an International network of current and former female leaders whose mission is to mobilize the highest-level women leaders globally for collective action on issues of critical importance to women and equitable development.
Election to the Federal Council
After the resignation of René FelberRené Felber
René Felber is a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council .Born 1933 in Bienne, Felber was a teacher in Boudevilliers and Le Locle . He was mayor of Le Locle from 1964 to 1980 , member of the Cantonal Parliament of Neuchâtel...
from the Swiss Federal Council, a member of the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
was supposed to be elected, according to the unofficial "magic formula" used to determine the representation of the Swiss parties at the Federal Council. While Christiane Brunner
Christiane Brunner
Christiane Brunner , is a Swiss female politician and a licensed lawyer.-Career:Brunner has occupied the following positions:*Deputy of the Great Council of the Canton of Geneva, 1981–1990...
was the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
's official candidate for the election on 3 March 1993, the right-wing parties decided to back another member of the Social Democratic Party, Francis Matthey
Francis Matthey
Francis Matthey is Swiss politician of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland , best known for declining the election to the Swiss Federal Council on 3 March 1993. Matthey was elected instead of the official candidate of his party, Christiane Brunner...
, a member of the national parliament and a Minister of the Canton of Neuchâtel
Canton of Neuchâtel
Neuchâtel is a canton of French speaking western Switzerland. In 2007, its population was 169,782 of which 39,654 were foreigners. The capital is Neuchâtel.-History:...
at that time who declined election, as his party did not support it.
A new election was organized on 10 March 1993, and the social Democratic Party presented both Ruth Dreifuss and Christiane Brunner
Christiane Brunner
Christiane Brunner , is a Swiss female politician and a licensed lawyer.-Career:Brunner has occupied the following positions:*Deputy of the Great Council of the Canton of Geneva, 1981–1990...
as the two official candidates. It was the first time that two women were on the official "ticket" for election, and Ruth Dreifuss was elected on the 3rd round with 144 votes.
Political actions undertaken
Ruth Dreifuss held the Federal Department of Home AffairsFederal Department of Home Affairs (Switzerland)
The Federal Department of Home Affairs is a department of the federal administration of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss ministry of the interior...
until her resignation on 31 December 2002. She was the first woman ever to be elected President of the Confederation in 1999.
She won several referendums, including a revision of the Health Insurance Bill, the 10th revision of the social security
Social security
Social security is primarily a social insurance program providing social protection or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment and others. Social security may refer to:...
system, a drug policy based on prevention, therapy, help and rehabilitation, and a new law regarding the film industry and its development.
She worked on a Maternity Insurance law but since the majority of the Federal Council rejected the proposal, she had to ask the people to reject her own text, as she had to respect collegiality
Collegiality
Collegiality is the relationship between colleagues.Colleagues are those explicitly united in a common purpose and respecting each other's abilities to work toward that purpose...
.
External links
- Legacy interview.. Personal history interview
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