Walter Thurnherr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walter Thurnherr
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Official portrait, 2023
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| 16th Chancellor of Switzerland | |
| In office 1 January 2016 – 31 December 2023 |
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| President | Johann Schneider-Ammann Doris Leuthard Alain Berset Ueli Maurer Simonetta Sommaruga Guy Parmelin Ignazio Cassis Alain Berset |
| Vice-Chancellor | Jörg De Bernardi Viktor Rossi André Simonazzi |
| Preceded by | Corina Casanova |
| Succeeded by | Viktor Rossi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 July 1963 Muri, Aargau, Switzerland |
| Political party | Christian Democratic People's Party (before 2021) The Centre (2021–present) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | ETH Zurich University of Bern |
Walter Thurnherr (born 11 July 1963) is a Swiss government official. He served as the Chancellor of Switzerland from 2016 to 2023. The Chancellor is a very important role in the Swiss government. Even though the job is usually not linked to a political party, Walter Thurnherr was part of the Christian Democratic People's Party. In 2021, this party joined with another to form The Centre party, and he became a member of that new group.
On August 16, 2023, he announced he would leave his position by the end of that year.
Contents
Walter Thurnherr's Life and Career
His Early Life and Studies
Walter Thurnherr was born in Muri, Aargau, Switzerland. He studied physics at ETH Zurich and finished in 1987. After that, he also studied mathematics at the University of Bern.
In 1989, he started working for Switzerland's diplomatic team. This means he helped represent Switzerland in other countries. In 2002, he became the chief of staff for the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. This job is like being the main helper and organizer for a government minister. He then worked for other government departments, always as a chief of staff.
Becoming Switzerland's Chancellor
On December 9, 2015, Walter Thurnherr was chosen to become the next Chancellor of Switzerland. He was the only person running for the job, which was very unusual. The Swiss Federal Assembly (which is like their parliament) elected him with a huge number of votes. He started his job on January 1, 2016. He was re-elected for another term on December 11, 2019.
In an interview in 2023, Walter Thurnherr said he believes Switzerland should be more involved in international discussions and world events.
Outside of Work
Walter Thurnherr is active on Twitter, where he often shares his interest in physics and mathematics. He can speak English, German, and French. He also learned Russian when he worked as a diplomat in Moscow. He is married and has two children. In his free time, he enjoys going for hikes and reading books.
See also
In Spanish: Walter Thurnherr para niños
