Pascal Couchepin

Roger Pascal Couchepin ( born April 5, 1942 in Martigny, hometown entitled in Martigny ) is a Swiss politician ( FDP).

Professional and political career

Couchepin studied like his father law at the University of Lausanne, where he 1966, the licentiate and in 1968 the bar exam took off. In the same year he began to practice as a lawyer and the executive, from Martigny was in the municipal council, elected; 1984-1998 he was mayor there. In 1979 he was elected to the National Council and was President from 1989 to 1996 the Liberal -Democratic Group in the Federal Assembly.

On March 11, 1998, he was elected by the Federal Assembly to the Federal Council. During his tenure, he held the following departments:

Couchepin was Federal President of Switzerland in the years 2003 and 2008 and Vice President in 2002 and 2007.

As head of the Department of Economic Affairs he represented Switzerland in the World Trade Organization ( WTO) and served as governor of the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Prior to his election to the Federal Council was Couchepin member of several Boards of Directors (TSA Telecom SA, Watt Electric Holding). He was also President of the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Society and active in various disability organizations.

He is one of the few Swiss personalities who attend the Bilderberg conference.

On 12 June 2009 Couchepin submitted his resignation from the Federal Council by the end of October. As the successor of the Neuchâtel Senate Didier Burkhalter was elected on 16 September in the 4th round.

In November 2011 Couchepin with the award " Officier de la Légion d' Honneur (O. LH )» ( officer of the French Legion of Honour ) was honored.

Criticism

Couchepin is a critic of the controversial old - Federal Councillor Christoph Blocher and fell as a result, several times in the crossfire whose party, the SVP, and partly also by the Swiss media. For example, on September 7, 2007, when he sharply criticized in the Ticino Radio RSI during an interview the SVP. This Couchepin his counterparts Blocher indirectly compared with the former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini by, he said: "No one, not even the is indispensable for the prosperity of our country. This is unhealthy. " Cause for criticism was also an incident on February 7, 2008, when Couchepin the SVP National Christoph Mörgeli brought in connection during a Commission meeting with the Nazi doctor Joseph Mengele and mass murderer. While he spoke of Mengele, Couchepin used the word choice, " Dr. Mörgele "instead of" Dr. Mengele ". Although Couchepin immediately corrected his statement, he later reaffirmed in a Medienmitteiling the EDI, that it was merely a slip of the tongue undermined, while his critics have accused him of deliberately drawn this comparison.

Private

Couchepin he originates from Martigny ( VS). He is married to Brigitte Rendu, the daughter of a Parisian doctor. Together they have three children.

His father was a Grand Council, his grandfather ( Jules ) Mayor of Martigny and the National Council, his great-grandfather mayor and cantonal judge. His cousin François Couchepin was 1991-1999 Chancellor.

Works

• Couchepin: I believe in the policy - Conversations with Jean Romain. In: NZZ, 2002, ISBN 3-03823-031-6