At 91, Switzerland’s oldest politician is full of life

At 91, she's the oldest elected politician in Switzerland: Marlies Näf-Hofmann from Arbon in canton Thurgau. And she's still going strong. Swiss Public Television, SRF, looks back at an often controversial political career. (SRF/swissinfo.ch) 

She represents the Christian Democratic Party in the Arbon local parliamentExternal link, where she campaigns on behalf of the elderly, in particular. But she has changed her political allegiances several times. 

For 20 years, Näf-HofmannExternal link worked as a lawyer for the the rightwing conservative Swiss People’s Party on the cantonal parliament of Thurgau, and was party member for 50 years. After a brief stint with the Liberal Greens, the lawyer joined the town parliament two years ago as a non-party member. In summer 2017, she officially changed to the Christian Democratic Party.

‘Sharp as a whistle’

Her pet subjects are accessibility of public transport and day care centres for people with dementia. She is described as persistent, passionate and quite uncompromising.

Her voice is strong, and the former lawyer is said to be ‘sharp as a whistle’. She keeps fit at the gym. Since her husband died of Parkinson’s disease in 2008, Näf-Hofmann has devoted herself to politics. She gets support in her work from her son Andreas.

ArbonExternal link on the southwest coast of Lake Constance is the third-largest town in the canton, after Frauenfeld and Kreuzlingen, with a population of around 14,500.