Ursula Koch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ursula Koch
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 1999
|
|
| Member of the National Council (Switzerland) | |
| In office 6 December 1999 – 10 May 2000 |
|
| Constituency | Canton of Zurich |
| President of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland | |
| In office 28 January 1997 – 31 April 2000 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ursula Pomeranz
1 July 1941 Zürich, Switzerland |
| Alma mater | University of Zürich (PhD) University of Oregon |
Ursula Koch (born July 1, 1941) is a Swiss politician who made history. She was the first woman to lead the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (SP). She also served for a short time in the Swiss parliament, called the National Council (Switzerland).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ursula Koch was born Ursula Pomeranz in Zurich, Switzerland, on July 1, 1941. Her father was from Poland, and her mother was Swiss.
She grew up in Stäfa, a town by Lake Zürich. She finished teacher training college there. In 1962, she spent a year studying at the University of Oregon in the United States. In 1963, Ursula Koch began studying natural sciences at the University of Zürich. She worked as a research assistant in organic chemistry from 1970 to 1976. She earned her doctorate degree in 1976.
Political Career
Zurich City and Cantonal Councils
Ursula Koch became a member of the Cantonal Council of Zürich in 1979. This is the main law-making group for the canton (state) of Zurich. As a strong supporter of women's rights, she changed the traditional oath. Instead of swearing loyalty to the "fatherland," she pledged allegiance to the "motherland." She was re-elected until 1986.
In 1986, Ursula Koch was elected to the Zurich City Council (Stadtrat). This group manages the city of Zurich. She was in charge of the engineering department until 1998. This meant she was responsible for all building projects in Zurich. She believed the city had enough commercial buildings. She wanted more affordable homes instead. Her famous quote, "The City of Zurich is built!" (Die Stadt Zürich ist gebaut!), showed her view.
In 1999, Ursula Koch received many votes in the national elections. She was elected to the National Council (Switzerland), which is the lower house of the Swiss parliament. She served from December 6, 1999, to May 10, 2000. She resigned due to health reasons.
Leading the Social Democratic Party
On June 28, 1997, Ursula Koch was chosen to be the president of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (SP). She won even though she was new to national politics. She was the first woman to lead this major Swiss political party. She served as president from 1997 until April 2000.
After becoming president, Ursula Koch faced some challenges within her party. Some members felt she lacked clear plans. This led to disagreements that were often reported in the news. In April 2000, Ursula Koch decided to step down from her role as party president and from parliament because of her health.
As president of the SP, Ursula Koch was part of the "Elefantenrunde." This term means "elephant round" and refers to the leaders of Switzerland's five most important political parties. In late 1999, she took part in the first live online broadcast from the Federal Palace of Switzerland.
Life After Politics
Since 2000, Ursula Koch has not held any political office. In November 2000, she married her long-time partner.
