Ursula Koch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ursula Koch
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Official portrait, 1999
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| Member of the National Council (Switzerland) | |
| In office 6 December 1999 – 10 May 2000 |
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| Constituency | Canton of Zurich |
| President of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland | |
| In office 28 January 1997 – 31 April 2000 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ursula Pomeranz
1 July 1941 Zürich, Switzerland |
| Alma mater | University of Zürich (PhD) University of Oregon |
Ursula Koch (born 1 July 1941) is a former Swiss politician. She made history as the first woman to lead the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (SP). She also served briefly in the National Council (Switzerland), which is like a national parliament, from 1999 to 2000.
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Early Life and Education
Ursula Koch was born Ursula Pomeranz on July 1, 1941, in Zurich, Switzerland. She grew up in a town called Stäfa near Lake Zürich.
After finishing teacher training college, she spent a year studying at the University of Oregon in 1962. In 1963, Ursula began studying natural sciences at the University of Zürich. She worked as a research assistant and earned her doctorate degree in 1976.
Political Journey
Serving in Zurich's Local Government
Ursula Koch became a member of the Cantonal Council of Zürich, which is like the local parliament for the canton (state) of Zurich. She was a strong supporter of women's rights in politics. When she took her oath of office in 1979, she chose to pledge allegiance to the "Mutterland" (motherland) instead of the traditional "Vaterland" (fatherland). She was re-elected to this council until 1986.
In 1986, Ursula Koch was elected as a Zürich City Councillor (Stadtrat). This role meant she was part of the executive team that managed the city of Zurich. She was in charge of the engineering department until 1998. This meant she oversaw all building projects in the city.
Ursula Koch believed that Zurich needed more affordable homes instead of more commercial buildings. She famously said, "The city of Zurich is built!" in 1988. This quote showed her strong belief in protecting existing spaces for housing.
Leading the Social Democratic Party
On June 28, 1997, Ursula Koch was chosen as the president of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (SP). This was a very important moment because she was the first woman to lead this major political party in Switzerland. She served as president from 1997 until April 2000.
After becoming president, Ursula faced some challenges and disagreements within the party. Despite these difficulties, she continued her work. In late 1999, as president of the SP, she was part of the "Elefantenrunde." This is a special group of leaders from Switzerland's most important political parties. She even participated in the first ever live stream broadcast from the Federal Palace of Switzerland, which is where the Swiss government meets.
Ursula Koch was also elected to the National Council (Switzerland), the lower house of the Swiss parliament, representing the canton of Zurich. She served from December 6, 1999, to May 10, 2000, when she decided to step down.
Since 2000, Ursula Koch has not held any political office. In November 2000, she married her long-time partner.
