Government of Switzerland - List of "firsts" in The Federal Council

List of "firsts" in The Federal Council

  • 1848: The first seven members elected: Ulrich Ochsenbein, Jonas Furrer, Martin J. Munzinger, Henri Druey, Friedrich Frey-Herosé, Wilhelm Matthias Naeff and Stefano Franscini.
  • 1854: First (of only four so far) sitting Federal Councillors not to be reelected, Ulrich Ochsenbein.
  • 1891: First Councillor of the Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland, Josef Zemp.
  • 1893: First member whose father was a member of the Council: Eugène Ruffy, son of Victor Ruffy. In 2007, the 2nd is elected: Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, the daughter of Leon Schlumpf.
  • 1911: First (and only) octogenarian in office, Adolf Deucher (FDP).
  • 1913: First (and only) native Romansh speaker, Felix Calonder (FDP).
  • 1917: First (and only) Councillor of the Liberal Party elected, Gustave Ador.
  • 1930: First Councillor of the Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents (BGB/PAI; now the Swiss People's Party), Rudolf Minger.
  • 1943: First Councillor of the Social Democratic Party, Ernst Nobs.
  • 1983: First female candidate for the Council from a government party, Lilian Uchtenhagen (SP).
  • 1984: First woman Councillor, Elisabeth Kopp (FDP).
  • 1993: First Councillor of Jewish origin, Ruth Dreifuss (SP).
  • 1995: First Councillor living in a domestic partnership, Moritz Leuenberger (SP) (with architect Gret Loewensberg, whom he later married).
  • 1999: First woman President of the Confederation, Ruth Dreifuss (SP).
  • 2010: First Majority of women in the Swiss Federal Council with the election of Simonetta Sommaruga (SP).

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