Viola Amherd

Viola Amherd (born 7 June 1962, in Brig-Glis) is a Swiss politician who has been a member of the Federal Council of Switzerland since January 2019. She is the head of Switzerland's Department of Defence, and is the first woman to serve in that position.[1]

Viola Amherd
Head of the Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport
Assumed office
1 January 2019
Preceded byGuy Parmelin
Member of the Swiss Federal Council
Assumed office
1 January 2019
Preceded byDoris Leuthard
Personal details
Born (1962-06-07) 7 June 1962
Brig-Glis, Switzerland
Political partyChristian Democratic People's Party

Political career

From 1992 to 1996 Amherd was a member of the city council of Brig-Glis (Stadtrat, i.e. executive member), from 1996 to 2000 vice-President of the municipality of Brig-Glis and from 2000 to 2012 president of the municipality of Brig-Glis. Representing the canton of Valais, Amherd was member of the Swiss National Council from 31 May 2005 to 31 December 2018.[2]

In the course of speculations about a candidature for the Swiss Federal Council, she announced her candidacy for the replacement of Doris Leuthard on 5 October 2018. On 16 November Amherd and Heidi Z'graggen were nominated as Federal Council candidates by the CVP. On 5 December 2018 she was elected to the Federal Council with 148 voting in the first ballot alongside Karin Keller-Sutter (FDP).[3]

On 10 December 2018, the Federal Council announced that Amherd would head the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) from 1 January 2019. Amherd will thus be the first woman to head the Swiss Ministry of Defence.[1]

Personal life

Amherd graduated from the Latin Grammar School at the College in Brig in 1982. From 1982 to 1987, she studied jurisprudence at the University of Fribourg and in 1987 received a licenciate in both laws. She then completed an internship as a lawyer and notary in Brig-Glis until 1990. In 1990 she was awarded the notary's diploma of the Canton of Valais, and in 1991 the lawyer's diploma and the bar exam of the Canton of Valais. Since 1991, she has worked as a self-employed lawyer and notary with an office in Brig-Glis, and from 1994 to 2006 as a part-time judge of the Federal Personnel Appeals Commission. Viola Amherd is single and lives in Brig-Glis.[2]

References
  1. "FOKUS: Departements-Rochade" (in German). 10 vor 10. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  2. "Werdegang" (in German). viola-amherd.ch. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  3. "Porträt von Bundesratskandidatin Viola Amherd" (in German). SRF Echo der Zeit. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
Political offices
Preceded by
Doris Leuthard		 Member of the Swiss Federal Council
2019–present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Guy Parmelin		 Head of the Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport
2019–present
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