Josephine Johanna "Josi" Meier (31 August 1926 in Dagmersellen – 4 November 2006 in Lucerne) was a Swiss politician and feminist. She was one of the first women in the Swiss parliament and had been called the "Grand Old Lady" of Swiss politics. She served as a member of the Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland. She was the first woman President of the Swiss Council of States.
Josi Meier | |
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 | |
| Born | Josephine Johanna Meier 31 August 1926 Dagmersellen, Switzerland |
| Died | 4 November 2006 (aged 80) Lucerne, Switzerland |
| Nationality | Swiss |
| Alma mater | University of Geneva |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, Politician |
Early life
editMeier was born in 1926 in Dagmersellen in the Canton of Lucerne. Her parents were Nicholas Meier, a hotel porter, and Josi Kumschick, a waitress and housewife.[1] During her childhood, the family moved to the city of Lucerne.[2] She attended the University of Geneva to study law and became a registered lawyer in 1952.[3]
Political career
editFrom 1959 to 1971, Meier was a member of the secondary school board in Lucerne and was a strong supporter of women's suffrage.[1] In 1971—the same year that Switzerland granted women the right to vote—Meier was voted into Lucerne's cantonal parliament and subsequently, as a member of the Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland, became one of the first 11 women elected to the Swiss lower house, the National Council.[3] During her term in the National Council, she chaired the Commission for Foreign Affairs and was a delegate to the Council of Europe.[2] She was elected to Switzerland's senate, the Council of States, in 1983, and became its first female president (speaker) in 1991.[3] She held the post of president until 1992.[2] Meier left the Council of States and retired from Swiss politics in 1995.[3]
Death and legacy
editMeier died in Lucerne on 4 November 2006, a decade after being diagnosed with cancer. She continued practicing law until her death.[3] Her political achievements earned her the nicknames of the "Grand Old Lady" of Swiss politics and the "old warhorse of Lucerne".[3] She was awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Fribourg in 1991 and the University of Lucerne in 1994.[2] As an advocate of women's participation in politics, she once declared that "Frauen gehören ins Haus, ins Bundeshaus!" (English: "Women belong in the house ... in the House of Parliament!").[1][3]
References
edit- ^ a b c Trüeb, Markus (22 October 2008). "Meier, Josi". Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (in German). Retrieved 17 September 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Josi Meier in der Gesellschaft "merkwürdiger Luzernerinnen und Luzerner". Festakt" (in German). Zentral- und Hochschulbibliothek Luzern. 26 May 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2014.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c d e f g Leybold-Johnson, Isobel (7 November 2006). "Christian Democrats pay tribute to Josi Meier". swissinfo. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
Further reading
edit- Biography of Josi J. Meier on the website of the Swiss Parliament.