Simonetta Sommaruga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Simonetta Sommaruga
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Official portrait, 2022
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| President of Switzerland | |
| In office 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2020 |
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| Vice President | Guy Parmelin |
| Preceded by | Ueli Maurer |
| Succeeded by | Guy Parmelin |
| In office 1 January 2015 – 31 December 2015 |
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| Vice President | Johann Schneider-Ammann |
| Preceded by | Didier Burkhalter |
| Succeeded by | Johann Schneider-Ammann |
| Vice President of Switzerland | |
| In office 1 January 2019 – 31 December 2019 |
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| President | Ueli Maurer |
| Preceded by | Ueli Maurer |
| Succeeded by | Guy Parmelin |
| In office 1 January 2014 – 31 December 2014 |
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| President | Didier Burkhalter |
| Preceded by | Didier Burkhalter |
| Succeeded by | Johann Schneider-Ammann |
| Head of the Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications | |
| In office 1 January 2019 – 31 December 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Doris Leuthard |
| Succeeded by | Albert Rösti |
| Head of the Department of Justice and Police | |
| In office 1 November 2010 – 31 December 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf |
| Succeeded by | Karin Keller-Sutter |
| Member of the Swiss Federal Council | |
| In office 1 November 2010 – 31 December 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Moritz Leuenberger |
| Succeeded by | Élisabeth Baume-Schneider |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Simonetta Myriam Sommaruga
14 May 1960 Zug, Switzerland |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party |
| Spouse | |
| Alma mater | Lucerne University (without obtaining the degree) |
| Signature |  |
Simonetta Myriam Sommaruga (born 14 May 1960) is a Swiss politician. She was a member of the Swiss Federal Council from 2010 to 2022. This council acts like the government of Switzerland.
As a member of the Social Democratic Party, she served as President of Switzerland twice. She held this important role in 2015 and again in 2020. Before becoming a top politician, she worked to protect consumers.
Simonetta Sommaruga led different government departments. From 2019, she was in charge of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications. Before that, from 2010 to 2018, she led the Federal Department of Justice and Police. She also served as Vice President of Switzerland in 2014 and 2019.
Contents
About Simonetta Sommaruga
Her Early Life and Education
Simonetta Sommaruga was born on 14 May 1960 in Zug, Switzerland. She grew up in a town called Sins, in the Aargau region. She has two brothers and one sister.
From a young age, Simonetta showed a talent for music. She trained to be a pianist at the Lucerne School of Music. Later, she studied English and Romance languages at the University of Fribourg. However, she did not complete her degree there.
Her Professional Work
Before entering politics, Simonetta Sommaruga worked for a group that helps consumers. From 1993 to 1999, she was the director of the Consumer Protection Foundation. This job made her well-known in German-speaking Switzerland. She then became the president of this foundation from 2000 to 2010.
She also led the aid organization Swissaid from 2003 to 2008. Swissaid helps people in need around the world.
Her Political Journey
Simonetta Sommaruga started her political career in local government. From 1981 to 1990, she was a member of the Grand Council of Bern. She also served in the local government of Köniz from 1997 to 2005.
In 1999, she was elected to the National Council. This is one of the two houses of the Swiss parliament. In 2003, she moved to the other house, the Council of States. She represented the canton of Bern there.
On 11 August 2010, she decided to run for a seat on the Federal Council. This is Switzerland's highest executive body, like a cabinet of ministers. She was elected on 22 September 2010. She was re-elected for full terms in 2011, 2015, and 2019.
Leading Switzerland
On 4 December 2013, Simonetta Sommaruga was chosen as the Vice President of Switzerland for 2014. The next year, on 3 December 2014, she was elected President of Switzerland for 2015. Her first trip as president was to Paris. She joined a march there to support freedom of speech.
She served as President until the end of 2015. In 2019, she became Vice President again. Then, in 2020, she became President for a second time. This year was very important because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was succeeded by Guy Parmelin on 1 January 2021.
On 2 November 2022, she announced she would leave the Federal Council. She made this decision after her husband had a stroke.
Her Personal Life
Simonetta Sommaruga is married to Lukas Hartmann, who is a writer. They live in a place called Spiegel, near Bern.
See also
In Spanish: Simonetta Sommaruga para niños
