Huber-Hotz was elected as Federal Chancellor in 1999 after having worked in the parliament administration for more than 20 years.
Keystone/Alessandro Della Valle
The former Federal Chancellor, Annemarie Huber-Hotz, has died following a heart attack, aged 70.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/urs
Her family said Huber-Hotz suffered a heart failure during a hiking trip on Thursday.
Huber-Hotz was elected to the post by parliament in 1999 and served until 2007 as chief manager of the seven-member Swiss government.
She was the first woman to be chosen as Federal Chancellor in modern Swiss history. The position is a political appointment but has only a technocratic role.
After her retirement, Huber-Hotz was president of several non-governmental organisations and charities, including the Swiss Red Cross and the Swiss Benevolent Society. She was also a vice-president of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
In a first reaction, the Swiss governmentExternal link has praised Huber-Hotz for her efficiency in supporting the cabinet, her patience and generosity.
Most Read Swiss Abroad
More
Thousands of emigrants’ descendants in Argentina demand Swiss citizenship
Switzerland’s neighbours are ‘not role models’ in fiscal policy, says finance minister
This content was published on
Swiss finance minister Karin Keller-Sutter defended the country's compliance with the debt brake at a meeting of her party, the Radical-Liberals, on Saturday.
Pope Francis praises Swiss Guards’ patience with pilgrims
This content was published on
During a private audience on Saturday, Pope Francis praised the Swiss Guards for their "great patience" with pilgrims who visit the Vatican.
Swiss designer Kevin Germanier to design outfits for Eurovision presenters
This content was published on
Designer Kevin Germanier will dress the team of presenters at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, which takes place in May in Basel.
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter makes official visit to Austria
This content was published on
Karin Keller-Sutter, who took over the rotating Swiss presidency this year, has made her first official visit abroad as president to Austria.
This content was published on
The boss of Swiss Post, Roberto Cirillo, is stepping down at the end of March after six years in the job, the company announced on Friday.
This content was published on
The name and logo of the former Credit Suisse headquarters at Paradeplatz 8 in Zurich's financial centre were officially replaced by those of UBS on Friday.
Outgoing Swiss federal police chief warns of insufficient resources
This content was published on
The outgoing director of the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol), Nicoletta della Valle, has warned that officers, prosecutors and investigators in Switzerland have insufficient resources to do their work.
Swiss university inaugurates Europe’s most powerful centrifuge
This content was published on
The federal technology institute ETH Zurich has inaugurated Europe's most powerful geotechnical centrifuge. Researchers use the instrument to simulate the effects of natural hazards.
Swiss film industry reports successful year in 2024
This content was published on
Swiss films did well in cinemas in 2024, recording over 907,000 admissions, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reports. They accounted for almost 9% of all films shown last year in Switzerland.
Glencore and Rio Tinto held talks on mining’s biggest-ever potential merger, say reports
This content was published on
The Swiss-based mining and commodities group Glencore and the British company Rio Tinto reportedly held early-stage talks last year about combining their businesses.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss women fill high political office in 2010
This content was published on
swissinfo.ch asked political scientist Werner Seitz from the Federal Statistics Office whether any conclusions could be drawn from this – or whether it was just a coincidence. It’s fair to say that Switzerland has hardly shone regarding female suffrage: women in the United States, Britain and Germany had been voting for 50 years when their…
This content was published on
Political parties in Switzerland are submitting a growing number of initiatives for voters to decide on. In recent years, parties have increasingly used people’s initiatives to better define their political agenda and to get in the media spotlight. Critics complain that parties are misusing initiatives as marketing tools. In an interview with a Sunday newspaper,…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.