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 on May 14, 1960) is a Swiss politician. She was a member of the Swiss government, called the Federal Council, from 2010 to 2022. She belongs to the Social Democratic Party. Simonetta Sommaruga also served as the President of Switzerland in 2015 and again in 2020.
Before joining the government, she led a group that helped protect consumers. From 2019, she was in charge of the Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications. Before that, she led the Department of Justice and Police from 2010 to 2018. She was also the Vice President of Switzerland in 2014 and 2019. Simonetta Sommaruga lives in the canton of Bern.
Contents
About Simonetta Sommaruga
Her Early Life and Education
Simonetta Sommaruga was born on May 14, 1960, in Zug, Switzerland. She grew up with her two brothers and a sister in Sins, a town in Aargau. She went to a special high school called a gymnasium in Immensee.
She also trained to be a pianist at the Lucerne School of Music. Later, from 1988 to 1991, she studied English and Romance languages at the University of Fribourg. However, she did not complete her degree there.
Her Work Before Politics
From 1993 to 1999, Simonetta Sommaruga was the director of the Consumer Protection Foundation. This job made her well-known in the German-speaking parts of Switzerland. She then became the president of this foundation from 2000 to 2010.
She also served as the president of Swissaid, an organization that helps people, from 2003 to 2008. She supported SAFFA 2020, an event celebrating women's achievements in Switzerland.
Her Journey in Politics
Simonetta Sommaruga started her political journey in 1981. She was a member of the local parliament in Bern until 1990. From 1997 to 2005, she worked in the local government of Köniz.
In 1999, she was elected to the National Council, which is one part of the Swiss parliament. In 2003, she moved to the Council of States, the other part of the parliament, representing the canton of Bern.
On August 11, 2010, she announced she wanted to join the Federal Council, which is like the Swiss cabinet. She was chosen by the Swiss parliament on September 22, 2010. She was re-elected for full terms in 2011, 2015, and 2019.
Becoming President of Switzerland
On December 4, 2013, Simonetta Sommaruga was chosen as the Vice President of Switzerland for 2014. Didier Burkhalter was the President that year. On December 3, 2014, she was elected President for 2015, with Johann Schneider-Ammann as Vice President.
Her first international trip as President was to Paris. She joined a march there on January 11, 2015. This march was held to support freedom of speech after a sad event in Paris. She finished her term as President on December 31, 2015.
On January 1, 2019, she became Vice President again, serving under President Ueli Maurer. Simonetta Sommaruga became President of Switzerland once more in 2020. This year was very important because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also opened the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne. Guy Parmelin took over as President on January 1, 2021.
On November 2, 2022, she announced she would be leaving the Federal Council. She explained that her decision was made after her husband had a stroke.
Her Personal Life
Simonetta Sommaruga is married to the writer Lukas Hartmann. They live in Spiegel, which is near Bern. She is also related to other politicians, including Cornelio Sommaruga and Carlo Sommaruga.
See also
In Spanish: Simonetta Sommaruga para niños
