Joseph Deiss

Joseph Deiss (Freiburg, (Canton of Fribourg), Switzerland, January 18, 1946) is a Swiss economist and politician. He was a member of the Federal Council from 1999 to 2006 for the Christian Democratic Party of Switzerland. He is originally from the communes of Barberêche, where he currently lives, and Zeihen (AG).

Professional career

In 1971 he obtained a doctorate in economic and social sciences. He then made a search at King's College, University of Cambridge, to become professor of political economy at the University of Freiburg in 1973. From 1977 he worked as a private professor. He was named teacher of the year in 1983, because he was the one who visited the most universities, the University of Geneva, the University of Lausanne, the Federal Polytechnic School of Zurich, among others. In 1984 he returned to being full professor of Political Economy and Economic Policy until 1996. From 1996 to 1998, he served as dean of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences. After the construction of the new faculty headquarters on the Pérolles campus, the largest auditorium was named in his honor. In 2007, after resigning from the Federal Council, Deiss returned to work as a professor, but this time only as a visiting professor.

Political career

Member of the Christian Democratic Party, he was a deputy in the Fribourg Grand Council from 1981 to 1991, during which year he was its president. From 1982 to 1996 he was also mayor of his home commune, Barberêche. Since 1991, he joined the National Council, where he became vice president of the Foreign Policy Commission in 1995 and 1996. He was also in charge of monitoring consumer prices from 1993 to 1996 (Mr. Prices). i>) and then president of the total revision of the federal Constitution.

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Elected to the Federal Council as representative of the canton of Freiburg on March 11, 1999 (with one vote more than his Christian Democrat rival Peter Hess), he replaces Flavio Cotti at the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). May 1, 1999. During his period as Foreign Minister, the Swiss people accept the country's accession to the United Nations Organization on September 10, 2002. He manages to be re-elected to the Federal Council on December 10, 2003, despite that her party lost a seat in the Federal Council, overtaking Ruth Metzler-Arnold after the renewal of the government (Ruth Metzler had to leave her seat in the hands of Christoph Blocher, a member of the Center Democratic Union; in addition, being vice-president, He was unable to become president the following year, a situation that Deiss took advantage of.

Minister of Economy

In 2004 he became head of the Federal Department of Economy (DFE), after the departure of his colleague (Ruth Metzler) and the new distribution of the ministries of the Federal Council. Even without having been vice president, that year Joseph Deiss was elected president of Switzerland for 2004. During his presidency, Joseph made an important visit to Japan, in addition to receiving the president of Poland, Aleksander Kwaśniewski.

Resignation

On April 27, 2006, Joseph Deiss surprisingly announced his resignation from the Federal Council, leaving his position to what he himself calls new forces. The counselor claims to leave his position without pressure from his party.

Others

Joseph Deiss is married and the father of three children, and is an Honorary Member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation.