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. In 2007, he was elected to the Swiss Council of States.
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 in Basel of Polish father and a Swiss mother, he acquired Swiss citizenship only in 1956 (he's also a Polish citizen since birth).[1] Today, he is a citizen of Basel and Binningen.
He was the first openly homosexual President of the Swiss National Council.[2]
| Preceded by Thérèse Meyer |
President of the National Council 2005/2006 |
Succeeded by Christine Egerszegi |