Flavio Cotti
Flavio Cotti | |
---|---|
![]() Cotti in 1997 | |
President of Switzerland | |
In office 1 January 1991 – 31 December 1991 | |
Preceded by | Arnold Koller |
Succeeded by | René Felber |
In office 1 January 1998 – 31 December 1998 | |
Preceded by | Arnold Koller |
Succeeded by | Ruth Dreifuss |
Member of the Swiss Federal Council | |
In office 1 January 1987 – 30 April 1999 | |
Preceded by | Alphons Egli |
Succeeded by | Joseph Deiss |
Personal details | |
Born | Prato-Sornico,Switzerland | 18 October 1939
Died | 16 December 2020 Locarno,Switzerland | (aged 81)
Political party | Christian Democratic People's Party |
Flavio Cotti(18 October 1939[1]– 16 December 2020) was a Swiss politician who served as member of theFederal Councilfrom 1986 to 1999. He was a member of theChristian Democratic People's Partyfrom thecanton of Ticino.In the 1990s, Cotti led the Swiss government's unsuccessful attempts to further Switzerland'spolitical integrationinto theEuropean Union.He wasPresident of the Confederationin 1991 and 1998 and headed the departments ofHome AffairsandForeign Affairs.
Early life and political career
[edit]Cotti was born inMuralto.After studies of law inFribourg,he practised law in Locarno and pursued a political career in his nativeTicino.[2]
In 1962, he headed the newly foundedPartito popolare democratico ticinese.In 1981 he was elected president of the cantonal Christian Democratic Party, and served as president of the national party from 1981 to 1984.[2]
Cotti was a member of the cantonal parliament from 1962 to 1975. He was elected to the cantonal government of Ticino in 1975.[2]In 1983, he was elected to the national parliament's lower house, theNational Council.[3]
Federal Council
[edit]Cotti was elected to theFederal Council of Switzerlandon 10 December 1986, succeedingAlphons Egli,and resigned on 30 April 1999.[1]During his time in office he headed theFederal Department of Home Affairs(1987–1993)[1]and theFederal Department of Foreign Affairs(1994–1999).[1]He wasPresident of the Confederationtwice, first in 1991 and then again in 1998.[4]
Cotti's political philosophy was one of optimisticglobalism,and he liked to be seen as a visionary and as anhomme des lettres.[3]A convincedEurophile,Cotti was instrumental in bringing about the Federal Council's 1992 decision to seek Swiss membership of theEuropean Union– a move that backfired a few months later when Swiss voters rejected membership in theEuropean Economic Area,blocking further Swiss integration with the EU.[3]In this and other areas, Cotti's visions proved incompatible with Switzerland's complicated and slowconsensus politics,which earned him the nickname of "minister of announcements" (Ankündigungsminister).[3]
As Switzerland's foreign minister since 1994, Cotti helped salvageSwitzerland's relationship with the EUby negotiating and concluding a series of treaties that now govern Swiss–EU relations.[5]He led Swiss negotiations to settleclaims of Holocaust survivors against Switzerland and Swiss banks.[5]He was a strong advocate of Switzerland's accession to theUnited Nations,which voters only agreed to after his time in office in 2002.[5]Cotti also prominently represented the country abroad, gaining international recognition as the first Swiss president of theOSCE.[3]
Post-ministerial life
[edit]After retiring from politics, Cotti served in leading advisory positions in major Swiss companies, including on the board ofCredit Suisse.[3]
Cotti died fromCOVID-19on 16 December 2020, at the age of 81, during theCOVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland.[6]
References
[edit]- ^abcd"Flavio Cotti".The Federal Council.Retrieved17 December2020.
- ^abcFlavio CottiinGerman,FrenchandItalianin the onlineHistorical Dictionary of Switzerland.
- ^abcdefFoppa, Daniel (16 December 2020)."Zum Tod von Alt-Bundesrat Flavio Cotti – Der Europäer".Der Bund(in German).Retrieved16 December2020.
- ^"Presidents of the Confederation".The Federal Council.Retrieved17 December2020.
- ^abcKeystone-SDA/jdp (17 December 2020)."Former Swiss president and UN champion Flavio Cotti dies".Swissinfo.Retrieved17 December2020.
- ^"Ex-Bundesrat Flavio Cotti ist tot".Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF)(in German). 16 December 2020.Retrieved16 December2020.
External links
[edit]- Profile of Flavio Cottiwith election results on thewebsite of the Swiss Federal Council.
- Flavio Cottiin theGerman National Librarycatalogue