Marcel Pilet-Golaz

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Marcel Pilet-Golaz (December 31, 1889 - April 11, 1958) was a Swiss politician.

He was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on December 13, 1928 and handed over office on December 31, 1944. He was affiliated to the Free Democratic Party.

During his time in office he held the following departments:

Department of Home Affairs (1929)
Department of Posts and Railways (1930 - 1939)
Political Department (1940)
Department of Posts and Railways (1940)
Political Department (1941 - 1944)

He was President of the Confederation twice in 1934 and 1940.

Pilet-Golaz was said to be a pragmatic politician who tried to do with the German and Italian fascism. He therefore had to face the reproach that he sympathized with the fascism.^{[citation needed]} (Translated from the German version of Wikipedia)

As the head of the foreign affairs, he had to find a balance between the German requirements, the objections of the Allies and the will of Switzerland to stay independent. The way he choose, namely to build a relatively good rapport with the Third Reich, was very disputed, during as well as after the war.^{[citation needed]} (Translated from the German version of Wikipedia)

When in 1944 he tried to take up relations with the Soviet Union, the latter refused roughly. So Pilet-Golaz lost all support and had to resign. (Translated from the German version of Wikipedia)