Ruth Metzler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruth Metzler
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| Vice President of Switzerland | |
| In office 1 January 2003 – 31 December 2003 |
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| President | Pascal Couchepin |
| Preceded by | Pascal Couchepin |
| Succeeded by | Samuel Schmid |
| Head of the Department of Justice and Police | |
| In office 1 May 1999 – 31 December 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Arnold Koller |
| Succeeded by | Christoph Blocher |
| Member of the Swiss Federal Council | |
| In office 1 May 1999 – 31 December 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Arnold Koller |
| Succeeded by | Christoph Blocher |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 May 1964 Sursee, Switzerland |
| Political party | Christian Democratic People's Party |
| Spouses |
Lukas Metzler
(m. 1991; div. 2010)Stephan Zimmermann
(m. 2015) |
| Alma mater | University of Fribourg |
Ruth Metzler (born Arnold, 23 May 1964) is a Swiss politician. She was a member of the Swiss Federal Council from 1999 to 2003. This council is like the government of Switzerland. She belonged to the Christian Democratic People's Party. During her time, she was in charge of the Federal Department of Justice and Police.
Contents
Ruth Metzler's Life and Work
Early Life and Education
Ruth Metzler was born on May 23, 1964. She studied at the University of Fribourg. This is a well-known university in Switzerland.
Her Political Journey
Before joining the national government, Ruth Metzler worked in local politics. From 1996 to 1999, she was a leader in the Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden. She was responsible for managing the money (finance) in that area.
Becoming a Federal Councillor
On March 11, 1999, Ruth Metzler was chosen to join the Swiss Federal Council. This is a very important position in the Swiss government. She started her new role on May 1, 1999. She took over from Arnold Koller as the head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police.
During her time in office, she was involved in 14 public votes (referendums). On January 1, 2003, she also became the Vice President of Switzerland.
Why She Left Office
On December 10, 2003, Ruth Metzler was not re-elected to the Federal Council. This was a rare event in Swiss history. Her party, the Christian Democratic People's Party, lost many votes in the 2003 election. The Swiss People's Party became the largest party.
Because they had more votes, the Swiss People's Party wanted another seat on the Federal Council. In the election, the Federal Assembly chose Christoph Blocher instead of Ruth Metzler. She lost by a small number of votes. Ruth Metzler stayed in her role until the end of 2003. Christoph Blocher then took over on January 1, 2004.
Life After Politics
After leaving the Federal Council, Ruth Metzler wrote a book. It was called "Grissini & Alpenbitter" and came out in 2004. The book shared her experiences from her years in government.
From February to July 2004, she taught a class at the University of St. Gallen. The class was about how politics can be shaped. Since April 2005, she has worked for Novartis. This is a large Swiss company that makes medicines.
See also
In Spanish: Ruth Metzler-Arnold para niños
