Hans-Rudolf Merz

Hans-Rudolf Merz
Member of the Swiss Federal Council
In office
1 January 2004 – 1 November 2010
Preceded by Kaspar Villiger
Succeeded by Johann Schneider-Ammann
President of Switzerland
In office
1 January 2009 – 31 December 2009
Vice President Doris Leuthard
Preceded by Pascal Couchepin
Succeeded by Doris Leuthard
Vice President of Switzerland
In office
1 January 2008 – 31 December 2008
President Pascal Couchepin
Preceded by Pascal Couchepin
Succeeded by Doris Leuthard
Head of the Federal Department of Finance
In office
1 January 2004 – 1 November 2010
Preceded by Kaspar Villiger
Succeeded by Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf
Personal details
Born (1942-11-10) 10 November 1942
Herisau, Switzerland
Political party FDP.The Liberals
Spouse(s) Roswitha Merz
Children 3
Alma mater University of St. Gallen
Profession Management consultant

Hans-Rudolf Merz (born 10 November 1942) is a Swiss politician of FDP.The Liberals and former member of the Swiss Federal Council. He was the head of the Federal Department of Finance (the Swiss finance minister) from 2004 to 2010 and President of the Swiss Confederation for 2009. On 6 August 2010 Merz announced his resignation for October 2010.[1]

Born in Herisau, Switzerland, he studied at Hochschule St. Gallen and graduated in 1971 with a DEA's degree and as Dr. rer. publ.

Career

Merz was a Scout, and visited the National Jamboree of Switzerland in July 2008.[2][3] From 1969 to 1974, he was party secretary of the Free Democratic Party (FDP/PRD) in St. Gallen. Since 1977 he has worked as a management consultant.

In 1997 he was elected to the Swiss Council of States for the canton of Appenzell Outer Rhodes. He presided over the finance committee, and was a member of the foreign policy committee.

Merz was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on 10 December 2003. At the time he was on the board of directors of the Helvetia-Patria insurance company and Anova Holding. He was also a member of the board of trustees of the Max Schmidheiny Foundation.

On 20 September 2008, whilst in Eastern Switzerland, Merz was rushed to hospital, having suffered from a heart attack. He was soon flown to Bern University Hospital, where he had a multiple bypass operation. He was also placed into an artificial coma. This led to a reorganisation of the cabinet, and the absence of the Swiss President, Pascal Couchepin from the UN General Assembly in New York.[4]

On 10 December 2008, as the member of the Federal Council that hasn't been its president for the longest time, Merz was elected President of the Confederation for 2009. In parliament, the 66-year-old received 185 out of 209 valid votes. He succeeded Free Democratic Party colleague Pascal Couchepin. Doris Leuthard was elected vice-president.

On 20 September 2010, a recording of Merz replying to a question about meat imports in Parliament[5] became a viral video, drawing international attention. Merz convulsed with laughter when reading the dense bureaucratic language of the reply drafted for him by customs officials.[6] He was supposed to provide information if the sales of e.g. Bündnerfleisch in Switzerland is endangered by meat imports.[7]

Merz

He is married, and a father of three sons.

Works

References

  1. ↑ http://www.news.admin.ch/message/index.html?lang=de&msg-id=34515
  2. ↑ news.search.ch. "Hoher Besuch im Pfadfinder-Bundeslager" (in German). Retrieved 2008-07-25.
  3. ↑ SF Tagesschau. ""VIP-Tag" im Pfadi-Bundeslager- Lagerleitung empfängt Bundesrat Merz" (in German). Retrieved 2008-07-25.
  4. ↑ news.search.ch. "Cabinet announces reorganisation". Retrieved 2008-09-23.
  5. ↑ "10.5354. Fragestunde: Frage Grin Jean-Pierre, Zunahme der Importmenge von gewürztem Fleisch". Official Bulletin of the Swiss Federal Assembly. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
  6. ↑ "Swiss watch as minister cracks up". The Guardian. 24 September 2010. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
  7. ↑ Merz klebt auf dem Bündnerfleisch
Political offices
Preceded by
Kaspar Villiger		 Member of the Swiss Federal Council
2004–2010 		Succeeded by
Johann Schneider-Ammann
Preceded by
Pascal Couchepin		 President of Switzerland
2009 		Succeeded by
Doris Leuthard
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