Hans-Rudolf Merz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hans-Rudolf Merz
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| President of Switzerland | |
| In office 1 January 2009 – 31 December 2009 |
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| Vice President | Doris Leuthard |
| Preceded by | Pascal Couchepin |
| Succeeded by | Doris Leuthard |
| Vice President of Switzerland | |
| In office 1 January 2008 – 31 December 2008 |
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| President | Pascal Couchepin |
| Preceded by | Pascal Couchepin |
| Succeeded by | Doris Leuthard |
| Head of the Department of Finance | |
| In office 1 January 2004 – 1 November 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Kaspar Villiger |
| Succeeded by | Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf |
| Member of the Swiss Federal Council | |
| In office 1 January 2004 – 1 November 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Kaspar Villiger |
| Succeeded by | Johann Schneider-Ammann |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 November 1942 Herisau, Switzerland |
| Political party | Free Democratic Party (before 2009) FDP.The Liberals (2009–present) |
| Spouse | Roswitha Merz |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of St. Gallen |
| Profession | Management consultant |
Hans-Rudolf Merz (born 10 November 1942) is a Swiss politician. He was a very important person in the Swiss government. From 2004 to 2010, he was a Member of the Swiss Federal Council. This is like being a minister in other countries.
He belonged to the Free Democratic Party (FDP/PRD). Later, this party joined with others to form FDP.The Liberals. During his time in the government, he was in charge of the Federal Department of Finance. This means he managed Switzerland's money and taxes. In 2009, he also served as the President of the Swiss Confederation.
Contents
About Hans-Rudolf Merz
His Early Life and Studies
Hans-Rudolf Merz was born in a town called Herisau in Appenzell Ausserrhoden, a part of Switzerland. He went to a university called Hochschule St. Gallen. In 1971, he finished his studies there.
When he was younger, Merz was a Scout. He even went to a big national Scout event in Switzerland in 2008. He is married and has three sons.
Starting in Politics
From 1969 to 1974, Merz worked for the Free Democratic Party in St. Gallen. He helped organize things for the party. After that, he worked for a big bank called UBS for a few years.
Later, he became a consultant, helping businesses with their plans. In 1997, he was chosen to be part of the Swiss Council of States. This is one of the two parts of the Swiss parliament. He led the finance committee and was also part of the foreign policy committee.
Working in the Swiss Government
On 10 December 2003, Hans-Rudolf Merz was chosen to join the Swiss Federal Council. He started this important job on 1 January 2004. At that time, he was also on the boards of some companies and foundations.
In September 2008, Merz had a heart attack. He had to go to the hospital and have surgery. He recovered well and was able to return to his duties.
On 10 December 2008, he was elected President of the Confederation for the year 2009. This is a special role that rotates among the members of the Federal Council. He received a lot of votes from the parliament. He took over from Pascal Couchepin. Doris Leuthard became the Vice President.
In September 2010, something funny happened. A video of Merz laughing a lot during a speech went viral online. He was trying to answer a question about meat imports. He found the official language of the answer so complicated that he couldn't stop laughing! This video became very popular around the world.
See also
In Spanish: Hans-Rudolf Merz para niños
Images for kids
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Hans-Rudolf Merz in 2009.
