Alain Berset

Berset was born in Fribourg on 9 April 1972, the elder of two children, to Michel Berset, a teacher at the commercial and industrial school of Fribourg, and Solange Berset (née Angéloz; b. 1952), a bookseller.{{cite web|url= http://www.blick.ch/aktuell/gluecklich-ist-nur-wer-im-jetzt-lebt-id1677871.html|title=Glücklich ist nur, wer im Jetzt lebt| work=Sonntagsblick|author=Hannes Britschgi|date=18 December 2011|language=de|access-date=1 February 2012}} He was raised in a political family. His maternal grandfather, François Angéloz, was among the first municipal presidents of the Social Democratic Party, in the predominantly conservative Fribourg.{{Cite web |title=Alain Berset - Munzinger Biographie |url=https://www.munzinger.de/search/portrait/Alain+Berset/0/28957.html |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=www.munzinger.de}}

Berset studied political science and economics at the University of Neuchâtel, where he received a master's degree in political science in 1996 and a PhD in economics in 2005 with a dissertation about the role of international migration upon local working conditions.{{cite book| author=Alain Berset|title=Transformation des systèmes locaux d'emploi et compétitivité des régions: le rôle des migrations internationales. Thèse de doctorat|publisher=Editions Universitaires| year=2005|language=fr}}

Berset is married to Muriel Zeender Berset and is the father of three children. The family lives in Belfaux, a village near Fribourg.{{cite web|url=http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/schweiz/standard/Frau-Bundesrat/story/11015098|title=Frau Bundesrat| work=Tages-Anzeiger|author=Claudia Blumer|date=15 December 2011|language=de|access-date=1 February 2012}}

Berset worked as an assistant lecturer and researcher at the Institute for Regional Economics of the University of Neuchâtel from 1996 till 2000, when he moved to the Hamburg Institute for Economic Research for a year. In 2000 he became a member of the Constituent Assembly of the canton of Fribourg and president of its social democrat parliamentary group until 2004. He also served on the Belfaux communal parliament from 2001 to 2003. In 2002, he became a strategic consultant to the Department of Economic Affairs of the canton of Neuchâtel.{{cite web|url=http://www.edi.admin.ch/org/01543/index.html?lang=en |title=Alain Berset. Head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs |publisher=Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA |access-date=1 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217173000/http://www.edi.admin.ch/org/01543/index.html?lang=en |archive-date=17 February 2012 }}

In 2003 he was elected to the Swiss Council of States from the canton of Fribourg as a member of the Social Democratic Party becoming the youngest member of the Council of States,{{cite web|url=http://www.drs.ch/www/de/drs/297769.alain-berset-vielleicht-diesmal-ganz-vorne.html|title=Alain Berset: Vielleicht diesmal ganz vorne|work=SR DRS|access-date=14 December 2011|language=de|archive-date=3 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120603142251/http://www.drs.ch/www/de/drs/297769.alain-berset-vielleicht-diesmal-ganz-vorne.html|url-status=dead}} as well as the party's parliamentary group's vice president in December 2005. He was also a member of the parliamentary assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Following his reelection in 2007, he was elected the States Council's vice president in 2007–2008; he subsequently served as the body's president in 2008–2009.

File:Bundesrat der Schweiz 2018.gif

File:PM at Davos 2018 (26018690718).jpg in Davos in 2018]]

On 14 December 2011, he was elected to the Swiss Federal Council, the seven-member Swiss federal government, with 126 votes out of 245. He was one of the Social Democratic Party's two candidates (alongside Pierre-Yves Maillard) officially put forward to succeed the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Micheline Calmy-Rey, who had announced her resignation from the Federal Council.{{cite web|url=http://www.parlament.ch/d/wahlen-abstimmungen/wahlen-im-parlament/bundesratswahlen/erneuerungswahl-2011/seiten/default.aspx |title=Gesamterneuerungswahl des Bundesrates vom 14. Dezember 2011 |publisher=Federal Assembly |access-date=14 December 2011 |language=de |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203214113/http://www.parlament.ch/D/WAHLEN-ABSTIMMUNGEN/WAHLEN-IM-PARLAMENT/BUNDESRATSWAHLEN/ERNEUERUNGSWAHL-2011/Seiten/default.aspx |archive-date=3 December 2011 }} Berset became head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs as its former head Didier Burkhalter became head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.{{cite web| url= http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/schweiz/standard/Burkhalter-wird-Aussenminister--Berset-bernimmt-Innendepartement-/story/18137434|title=Burkhalter wird Aussen-, Berset Innenminister|work= Tages-Anzeiger|date=16 December 2011|access-date=16 December 2011|language=de}}

On 1 January 2017, Berset became Vice-President of the Federal Council under President Doris Leuthard, whom he succeeded on 1 January 2018. He left the presidency on 31 December 2018. He was succeeded by Ueli Maurer.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland, as head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs, he was one of the leading figures in the government's response to the crisis. Following an interview with Berset, Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) wrote, "there were moments during the first wave when he no longer knew whether it was day or night, weekday or weekend. He said he had never experienced anything like that before".{{cite web| url= https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/-we-were-too-lax--admits-swiss-health-minister-on-covid-19/46247082|work= Swiss Info|date=26 December 2020|access-date=28 January 2021|language=en|title='We were too lax' admits Swiss interior minister on Covid-19}}

On 1 January 2022, Berset became again Vice-President of the Federal Council, under President Ignazio Cassis; on 7 December 2022, he was elected President, succeeding Cassis on 1 January 2023.{{Cite web |last=Binnur Donmez |first=Beyza |date=2022-12-10 |title=Alain Berset to assume Swiss presidency in 2023 |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/alain-berset-to-assume-swiss-presidency-in-2023/2758015 |access-date=2022-12-07 |website=www.aa.com.tr}}

In January 2024, Berset became the Swiss government's candidate to succeed Marija Pejčinović Burić as Secretary General of the Council of Europe, competing with Didier Reynders and Indrek Saar.Valérie de Graffenried (11 January 2024), [https://www.letemps.ch/suisse/conseil-de-l-europe-alain-berset-a-deux-concurrents-mais-toutes-ses-chances Conseil de l’Europe: Alain Berset a deux concurrents mais toutes ses chances] Le Temps.Barbara Moens and Clothilde Goujard (24 January 2024), [https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-didier-reynders-ethics-secretary-general-council-of-europe/ Belgium's Didier Reynders walks fine ethics line in top job campaign] Politico Europe.

On 21 November 2020, the weekly Die Weltwoche revealed, from the pen of the former Zürich SVP/UDC national councillor Christoph Mörgeli, that Berset was the victim of an attempted blackmail the previous year. A woman, since convicted in criminal proceedings, allegedly tried to extort 100,000 Swiss francs from him by threatening to publish photographs and private messages that they had exchanged. {{cite journal | language = fr | title = A woman tried to extort 100,000 francs from Alain Berset | journal = Le Matin | date = 2020-11-21 | issn = 1018-3736 | url = https://www.lematin.ch/story/une-femme-a-tent-dextort-100000-francs-to-alain-berset-960611964195 | access-date = 2021-01-28}} The political world seized the case;{{cite journal | language = fr | title = State secrets, secrets of alcove | journal = Le Temps | date = 2020-11-23 | issn = 1423-3967 | url = https://www.letemps.ch/opinions/secrets-detat-secrets-dalcove | access-date = 2021-01-28}} the Supervisory Authority of the Public Ministry of the Confederation (MPC) opened an investigation to verify that the Federal Councillor did not benefit from favours in the treatment of his complaint. {{cite web | language = fr | title = Investigation into the MPC after the blackmail attempt against Alain Berset | url = https://www.rts.ch/info/suisse/11773319-enquete-sur-le-mpc-apres-la-tentative-de-chantage-contre-alain-berset.html | website = rts.ch | date = 2020-11-23 | access-date = 2021-01-28}}

In September 2021, while the health policy followed by the Federal Council to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic was contested and Alain Berset criticized, the case bounced back: a controversy broke out over the use of a vehicle of representation during an escapade with the woman, on the use of state collaborators to settle the attempt of blackmail, in particular by sending the Task Force TIGRIS of the Federal Judicial Police at the home of the person concerned, as well as on the limits between respect for the private life invoked by the magistrate and the public interest. {{cite web | language = fr-CH | last = Lea Hartmann |first=Daniella | title = The Berset limousine ride caused a sensation | url = https://www.blick.ch/fr/news/suisse/la-limousine-du-conseil-federal-pour-un-voyage-prive-la-balade-dalain-berset-fait-sensation-id16844720.html | website = Blick | date = 2021-09-19 | access-date = 2021-09-27}}{{cite journal | language = fr | author1 = Laure Lugon | author2 = Michel Guillaume | title = Alain Berset: last tango in Zurich | journal = Le Temps | date = 2021-09-17 | issn = 1423-3967 | url = https://www.letemps.ch/suisse/alain-berset-last-tango-zurich | access-date = 2021-09-27 | url-access = subscription }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite journal | language = fr | author1 = Florian Fischbacher | title = The case of the attempted blackmail against Alain Berset resurfaces | journal = Le Temps | date = 2021-09-17 | issn = 1423-3967 | url = https://www.letemps.ch/suisse/laffaire-attempt-blackmail-against-alain-berset-resurfaced | access-date = 2021-09-27 | url-access = subscription }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web | language = fr | title = Extramarital affair - Alain Berset would have used a limousine of function | url = https://www.tdg.ch/alain-berset-aurait-eu-recours-a-une-limousine-de-fonction-579325998014 | website = Tribune de Genève | date = 19 September 2021 | access-date = 2021-09-27}}{{cite web | language = fr | title = Alain Berset in a media turmoil policy | url = https://www.rts.ch/info/suisse/12504110-alain-berset-dans-une-tormente-mediaticopolitique.html | website = rts.ch | date = 2021-09-19 | access-date = 2021-09-27}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.blick.ch/fr/news/suisse/tentative-de-chantage-contre-alain-berset-le-ministere-public-de-la-confederation-veut-nommer-un-enqueteur-special-id16839948.html|title=Le MPC veut un enquêteur spécial dans le chantage contre Alain Berset|first=Lea Hartmann, Pascal Tischhauser, Jocelyn|last=Daloz (adaptation)|date=17 September 2021|website=Blick}}

On 14 June 2022, Berset was cleared in a parliamentary investigation into the alleged abuse of state resources.[https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/parliament-probe-clears-swiss-minister-in-blackmail-affair/47672404 "Parliament probe clears Swiss minister in blackmail affair"], swissinfo.ch, 14 June 2022.

Berset is the author of several books and some 30 articles on economic development, migration, and regional development.{{cite web|url=http://www.parlament.ch/e/organe-mitglieder/praesidenten/praesidenten-aktuell/srp-08-09/pages/default.aspx |title=Alain Berset, Speaker of the Council of States 2008/2009 (SP, FR) |publisher=Federal Assembly |access-date=1 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815053718/http://www.parlament.ch/e/organe-mitglieder/praesidenten/praesidenten-aktuell/srp-08-09/pages/default.aspx |archive-date=15 August 2013 }}

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{{Reflist|2}}

{{Commons category|Alain Berset}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140222033128/http://www.edi.admin.ch/org/01543/05029/index.html?lang=en Official biography in English] Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA
• {{Swiss Federal Councillor|alain-berset}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130815053718/http://www.parlament.ch/e/organe-mitglieder/praesidenten/praesidenten-aktuell/srp-08-09/pages/default.aspx Alain Berset, Speaker of the Council of States 2008/2009] The Federal Assembly - The Swiss Parliament
• {{Parliament.ch|1161|language=French}}
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pax9OszlzGw&t=5141s Alain Berset at inauguration of Gotthard tunnel]
• Main d'oeuvre étrangère et diversité des compétences, Editions Harmattan, Paris 2000
• Transformation des systèmes locaux d'emploi et compétitivité des régions: le rôle des migrations internationales, thesis for doctorate in economics, Editions Universitaires, Neuchâtel 2005
• Circulation of Competencies and Dynamics of Regional Production Systems”, International Journal of Multicultural Societies, vol.8, no.1, 2006, pp. 61–83, with O. Crevoisier
• Changer d'ère, pour un nouveau contrat gouvernemental, Éditions Favre, Lausanne 2007, with C. Levrat
• “Ciel, le Parlement a démantelé mon projet de loi; les aléas de la phase parlementaire”, in Fluckiger A., Guy-Ecabert C, Guider les parlements et les gouvernements pour mieux légiférer, Edition Schulthess, Zürich 2007 pp. 137–145

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Category:1972 births

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the Council of States (Switzerland)

Category:Presidents of the Council of States (Switzerland)

Category:Members of the Federal Council (Switzerland)

Category:People from Fribourg

Category:University of Neuchâtel alumni

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Category:Blackmail

Category:Academic staff of the University of Neuchâtel