Georges-André Chevallaz

Georges-André Chevallaz

1986

Georges-André Chevallaz (born February 7, 1915 in Lausanne ; † September 8, 2002 ibid) was a Swiss politician ( FDP ) from the canton of Vaud . As a Federal Councilor , he was first finance minister, then defense minister, and once held the office of Federal President .

Life

The from Montherod stem end closed 1937 with a degree in history first with the licentiate from. A semester abroad in Paris followed in 1937/38 . In 1949 the teacher, who had been working at the École supérieure de commerce de Lausanne since 1942, obtained his doctorate . From 1955 to 1958 he headed the cantonal library and held a lectureship in history and diplomacy at the University of Lausanne .

As a local politician in Lausanne, he held the following offices:

• 1949–1957: Municipal Council ( legislature )
• 1957–1973: Mayor
• 1964: Vice President of the National Exhibition Expo 64

He supported the construction of a road tunnel on the Great Saint Bernhard . At the federal level, he was a member of the National Council from 1958 to 1973 . From 1970 to 1973 Chevallaz chaired the Free Democratic Group in the Federal Assembly .

He was elected to the Federal Council on December 5, 1973 . On December 31, 1983, he handed over his office. During his tenure, he headed the following departments:

• 1974–1979: Federal Department of Finance
• 1980–1983: Federal Military Department

He was Federal President in 1980.

After his resignation, he appeared publicly in 1992 as an opponent of Switzerland joining the EEA .

Election results in the Federal Assembly

• 1973: Election to the Federal Council with 137 votes (absolute majority: 121 votes)
• 1975: Re-election as Federal Council with 178 votes (absolute majority: 111 votes)
• 1978: Election of Vice President of the Federal Council with 181 votes (absolute majority: 105 votes)
• 1979: Re-election as Federal Council with 170 votes (absolute majority: 102 votes)
• 1979: Election to the Federal President with 183 votes (absolute majority: 109 votes)

Works (selection)

• Histoire générale de 1789 à nos jours . Payot, Lausanne 1964
• La Suisse ou le sommeil du juste . Payot, Lausanne 1967
  • German edition: Switzerland or the sleep of the just . Ex libris, Zurich 1969
• Les Raisons de l'espoir . L'Aire, Lausanne 1979
• Le Gouvernement des Suisses ou l'histoire en contrepoint . With illustrations by Hans Erni . L'Aire, Lausanne 1989
• Le Défi de la neutralité. Diplomacy et Defense de la Suisse 1939–1945 . L'Aire, Vevey 1995
  • German edition: The challenge of neutrality. Diplomacy and Defense of Switzerland 1939–1945 . Orell Füssli, Zurich 1997

Web links

• Alain Clavien: Chevallaz, Georges-André. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .

predecessor	Office	successor
Nello Celio	Member of the Swiss Federal Council 1974 - 1983	Jean-Pascal Delamuraz