Federal Councilors

Certain members of the Federal Council have played a decisive role in developing and shaping social security in Switzerland, primarily by drafting bills and instituting reforms. This section profiles the Federal Councillors whose names are closely associated with particular social insurance schemes.

Pascal Couchepin

As an exponent of Swiss liberalism, federal councillor Couchepin particularly shaped political debate on old age insurance. Although he did not see the conclusion of the eleventh AHV revision during his tenure, he played a critical role in implementing reforms to disability insurance and health policy.
- Illness
- Old Age
- Family and childhood
- 1948-1990
- 1990–…
- Federal Councilors
Ruth Dreifuss

Social democrat Ruth Dreifuss was the second woman to be elected to the Federal Council. From her election in 1993 to the end of her tenure in 2002, she headed the Federal Department of Home Affairs. Her most important achievements included the introduction of the Federal Act on Health Insurance (1994-1996), the tenth AHV revision (1997) and the preparations for its eleventh revision. She was also committed to introducing maternity leave.
- Old Age
- Illness
- Family and childhood
- 1948-1990
- 1990–…
- Federal Councilors
Philipp Etter

The Catholic conservative from Zug, Philipp Etter (1891-1977), was a member of the Federal Council from 1934 to 1959. With respect to social security, he was committed to protecting the family unit and became a leading figure in the introduction of disability insurance during his tenure as head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs in the 1950s.
- Family and childhood
- Disabilities
- 1890–1947
- 1948-1990
- Federal Councilors
Ludwig Forrer

Ludwig Forrer (1845-1921) became one of the main exponents of health and accident insurance – first as a liberal national councillor at the turn of the century, and later as a federal councillor.
- Illness
- Accidents
- 1890–1947
- Federal Councilors
Edmund Schulthess

The liberal politician Edmund Schulthess (1868-1944) was a member of the Federal Council from 1912 to 1935. In 1925, as head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, he was involved in laying the constitutional groundwork for old age, survivors’ and disability insurance as well as for the first draft for a national old age and survivors’ insurance (AHV) – which failed at the ballot box in 1931.
- Old Age
- 1890–1947
- Federal Councilors
Walther Stampfli

Walther Stampfli (1884-1965) played a major role in implementing the AHV (1947/1948) as liberal federal councillor (1940-1947) and head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs. To this day, he is remembered as the ‘father of AHV’.
- Old Age
- 1890–1947
- Federal Councilors
Hans Peter Tschudi

Hans Peter Tschudi (1913-2002) headed the Federal Department of Home Affairs as federal councillor from 1959 to 1973. In this role, he advocated the expansion of social security during the economic boom years. He was responsible for the introduction of supplementary benefits to the AHV and the adjustment of pensions to wage and price trends, as well as for enshrining the three-pillar doctrine in the federal constitution.
- Old Age
- Disabilities
- 1948-1990
- Federal Councilors