Walter Thurnherr
{{short description|Swiss politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox Officeholder
|name = Walter Thurnherr
|image = Walter Thurnherr (2023).jpg
|caption = Official portrait, 2023
|office = 16th Chancellor of Switzerland
|president = Johann Schneider-Ammann
Doris Leuthard
Alain Berset
Ueli Maurer
Simonetta Sommaruga
Guy Parmelin
Ignazio Cassis
Alain Berset
|1blankname = {{nowrap|Vice-Chancellor}}
|1namedata = Jörg De Bernardi
Viktor Rossi
André Simonazzi
|term_start = 1 January 2016
|term_end = 31 December 2023
|predecessor = Corina Casanova
|successor = Viktor Rossi
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|7|11|df=y}}
|birth_place = Muri, Aargau, Switzerland
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Christian Democratic People's Party (before 2021)
The Centre (2021–present)
|spouse =
|children = 2
|alma_mater = ETH Zurich
University of Bern
}}
Walter Thurnherr (born 11 July 1963) is a Swiss government official who served as Chancellor of Switzerland from 2016 to 2023.{{cite web | url=https://www.bk.admin.ch/org/chanc/00321/index.html?lang=en | title=Federal Chancellor Walter Thurnherr | publisher=Federal Chancellery | date=1 January 2016 | access-date=2 January 2016}} Although he holds a traditionally nonpartisan office, he was elected as a member of the Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP/PDC). When it merged with the Conservative Democratic Party (BDP/PBD) to form The Centre (DM/LC) in 2021, Thurnherr joined the new party.
On 16 August 2023 he announced that he would leave his position before the end of 2023.{{Cite news |last=Fontana |first=Katharina |date=2023-08-16 |title=Walter Thurnherr tritt als Bundeskanzler zurück |language=de-CH |work=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |url=https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/wer-den-bundeskanzler-ersetzt-wird-die-bundesratswahlen-beeinflussen-ld.1751829 |access-date=2023-08-16 |issn=0376-6829}}
Biography
=Early life=
Born in Muri, Aargau, Thurnherr graduated as a physicist at the ETH Zurich in 1987, before studying mathematics at the University of Bern. In 1989, he joined the ranks of Switzerland's diplomatic corps. In 2002, he was appointed chief of staff of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs under Federal Councillor Joseph Deiss. The following year, he was named chief of staff of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, first under Pascal Couchepin, then Deiss and finally Doris Leuthard. He followed Leuthard when she took over the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications in 2011 as her chief of staff.{{cite news | url=https://www.letemps.ch/suisse/2015/12/16/walter-thurnherr-un-mediateur-service-conseil-federal | title=Walter Thurnherr, un médiateur au service du Conseil fédéral | work=Le Temps.ch | date=16 December 2016 | agency=Le Temps SA | access-date=2 January 2016 | author=Wutrich, Bernard}}
= Federal Chancellor =
He stood for election to succeed Corina Casanova as Chancellor of Switzerland on 9 December 2015, as the first unopposed candidate in 90 years. He was elected by the Swiss Federal Assembly with 230 votes out of 234.{{cite news | url=http://www.24heures.ch/elections-federales-2015/walter-thurnherr-elu-chancelier-confederation/story/30085643 | title=Walter Thurnherr élu chancelier de la Confédération | work=24 heures | date=9 December 2015 | agency=ATS | access-date=2 January 2016 | author=ATS/NXP}}{{cite news | url=http://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/der-logische-kanzler-1.18662514 | title=Walter Thurnherr, der logische Kanzler | work=Neue Zurcher Zeitung | date=14 December 2015 | agency=NZZ Mediengruppe | access-date=2 January 2016 | author=Amrein, Marcel | location=Zurich}} He assumed office on 1 January 2016. He was reelected on 11 December 2019 with 219 votes out of 224.
In a 2023 interview, Thurnherr called for Switzerland to become more involved in international matters.{{cite web | title=Switzerland can’t remain an observer, warns Federal Chancellor | url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/switzerland-can-t-remain-an-observer--warns-federal-chancellor/48470596 | date=April 28, 2023 | work=Swissinfo | access-date=May 6, 2023}}
= Personal life =
Thurnherr is active on Twitter as of 2023, where he often shares his passion for physics and mathematics. He speaks English, German, French, and learned Russian as a diplomat working in Moscow. He is married and has two children. In his free time he enjoys hiking and reading.{{Cite web |date=2018-08-01 |title=“No, I don't want to be a Federal Councilor.” Walter Thurnherr, 55, Federal Chancellor of Switzerland |url=https://keinhochglanzmagazin.com/en/walter-thurnherr-federal-chancellor/ |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Anna Maier |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Walter Thurnherr}}
- [https://www.bk.admin.ch/bk/de/home/bk/bundeskanzler-walter-thurnherr.html Official biography]
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{{s-bef|before=Corina Casanova}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chancellor of Switzerland|years=2016–2023}}
{{s-aft|after=Viktor Rossi}}
{{s-end}}
{{Swiss Chancellors}}
{{Portal bar|Politics|Switzerland}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thurnherr, Walter}}
Category:21st-century Swiss politicians
Category:Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland politicians