Josi Meier

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Josi Meier, President of the Council of States

"Josi" Josephine Johanna Meier (born August 31, 1926 in Dagmersellen ; † November 4, 2006 in Lucerne ) was a Swiss politician ( CVP ) and the first female President of the Council of States in 1991/92 .

biography

Josephine Johanna Meier was born in Dagmersellen in the canton of Lucerne . Her parents moved to Lucerne for professional reasons. She grew up in very simple circumstances. She attended high school in Lucerne and then studied law in Geneva . In 1952 she was admitted to the bar and opened her own lawyer and notary office in Lucerne. She campaigned for the protection of minors, was a member of the school administration and in the Swiss Army platoon leader in a Red Cross detachment.

She campaigned for equal rights and women's suffrage at an early age and, after the adoption of women's suffrage in 1971, was one of the first eleven women to be elected to the National Council, to which she belonged until 1983. From 1983 until 1995 she politicized in the Council of States . In 1991/92 she was its first female president.

During her time in the National Council, she was chairman of the commission for foreign affairs and a member of the delegation to the Council of Europe. In addition, she was particularly involved in social and family policy. During the Fichen affair , she and Carlo Schmid headed the parliamentary commission of inquiry.

In 1991 the University of Freiburg im Üechtland and in 1994 the theological faculty of the University of Lucerne awarded her an honorary doctorate. In 1995 Josi Meier was the first woman to give the celebratory speech at the national celebration of the Swiss Charitable Society on the Rütli , and in December 1995 she ended her career as a member of parliament. However, she continued to make herself available for important tasks such as the Presidium of the Expert Commission for Euthanasia, the Presidium of Swissimage and the participation in the Swiss Fund for Holocaust / Shoa. In 2006 she was able to celebrate her 80th birthday with her friends and acquaintances.

In contrast to most of the other national councils and councils of states, Josi Meier never accepted a board mandate during her political career . "Others can buy a yacht or a horse, I'll have my own opinion, it's about the same price" was one of her sayings.

In 2016, the city of Lucerne named a place near their former home after Josi Meier.

Quote

  • “Only today do I understand those men who told me at the beginning of my career that women belong in the house. They were right. The women belong in the parish hall, in the town hall, in the parliament building. ”Women's session 1991

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Josi Meier on the website of the Swiss Parliament, accessed on March 31, 2020
  2. ↑ List of keynote speakers since 1949 , website of the Swiss Charitable Society , accessed on March 31, 2020
  3. ↑ Thomas Bolli: A woman who is courageous through and through. In: Tages-Anzeiger. November 7, 2006.
  4. ↑ Honor for deceased CVP politician: City of Lucerne names place after Josi J. Meier . In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung . October 21, 2016, ISSN  0376-6829 ( nzz.ch [accessed October 23, 2016]).
  5. ↑ The slogan comes from the Lucerne graphic artist Karin Willimann, whom she created for the non-partisan committee for more women in the authorities . Josi Meier then carried this slogan into the women's session in 1991 with a public appeal. See Not Just a Question of Justice. Cécile Bühlmann's website , accessed May 17, 2013.
personal data
SURNAME Meier, Josi
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Meier, Josi J.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss politician (CVP)
DATE OF BIRTH August 31, 1926
PLACE OF BIRTH Dagmersellen , Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland
DATE OF DEATH November 4, 2006
Place of death Lucerne , Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland