Claude Janiak

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Claude Janiak (born 30 October 1948) is a Swiss politician of Polish origin, lawyer and President of the Swiss National Council for the 2005/2006 term. Member of the Social Democratic Party (SPS), he was elected to the National Council in 1999 in the Canton of Basel-Land and reelected in 2003.

He studied law at the University of Basel (1967-1971) and in London. In 1975, he completed his doctorate degree. He is attorney-at-law in Binningen since 1978. From 1991, he is a member of the board of the cantonal bank of Basel-Land (Basellandschaftliche Kantonalbank).

He was a member of the cantonal parliament of Basel-Land (1981-1987 and 1994-1999, president 1998/1999), of the city parliament of Binningen (1988-1995), and of the executive of Bubendorf (1976-1979).

Born 1948 in Basel of Polish father and a Swiss mother, he acquired Swiss citizenship only in 1956 (he's also a Polish citizen since birth). Today, he is a citizen of Basel and Binningen, as well as Polish national.

He is the first (openly) gay President of the Swiss National Council