Joseph Deiss
| Joseph Deiss | |
|---|---|
 |
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| President of the United Nations General Assembly | |
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In office September 14, 2010 – September 14, 2011 |
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| Vice President | Mark Lyall Grant |
| Preceded by | Ali Abdussalam Treki |
| Succeeded by | Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser |
| Member of the Swiss Federal Council | |
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In office 1999–2006 |
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| Preceded by | Flavio Cotti |
| Succeeded by | Doris Leuthard |
| President of Switzerland | |
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In office January 1, 2004 – December 31, 2004 |
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| Vice President | Samuel Schmid |
| Preceded by | Pascal Couchepin |
| Succeeded by | Samuel Schmid |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
January 18, 1946 Fribourg, Switzerland |
| Nationality | Swiss |
| Political party | CVP/PDC |
| Profession | Economist |
| Signature |  |
Joseph Deiss (born January 18, 1946) is an economist, Swiss politician and a member of the Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP/PDC). From 1999 to 2006, he was a member of the Swiss Federal Council, heading first the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (1999–2002) and then the Federal Department of Economic Affairs (2003–2006). He was elected President of the United Nations General Assembly for its 65th session in 2010.
Joseph Deiss started his political career in 1981 as a representative of his party in the cantonal parliament of Fribourg. In 1991 he became the president of the cantonal parliament for one year. Between 1982 and 1996 Deiss was the mayor of his home village Barberêche (FR).
In 1991 he was elected to the National Council. From 1995 to 1996 Deiss was vice president of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council. In 1996 he was made president of the committee in charge of the total revision of the Swiss Constitution.
Deiss was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on March 11, 1999, along with his erstwhile colleague Ruth Metzler-Arnold. Together with Adalbert Durrer and Remigio Ratti, he was one of three official candidates proposed by the CVP for the seat of retiring Councillor Flavio Cotti. However, the election became a narrow contest between Deiss and Peter Hess, who was favoured by many conservative representatives. Deiss eventually won after the sixth ballot, by 120 to 119 votes.
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