Ruth Metzler-Arnold (60) entered politics at a young age and her career got off to a flying start: in 1999, at the age of 34, the lawyer and qualified auditor became a member of the Federal Council.
The centrist party, then still the CVP and with two representatives in the Federal Council, wanted to appoint a woman to the Federal Council. The Federal Councillors Flavio Cotti and Arnold Koller were to be replaced. Metzler from Innerrhoden - representing the younger generation and one of the youngest members of the national government - and Joseph Deiss from Fribourg were elected.
Metzler replaces Arnold Koller, who stepped down after twelve years. She also took over the Department of Justice and Police from him. The fact that parliament elected her on the same day, but immediately before Deiss, was to have consequences at the end of 2003 following the election successes of the SVP and their demand for a second seat in the Federal Council.
Metzler's seat was the first to be contested by Zurich SVP National Councillor Christoph Blocher - and the SVP prevailed. Her time in government ended unintentionally and abruptly. Metzler was the third member of the Federal Council not to be re-elected. She had to leave the Federal Council after almost five years in government because the balance of power between the parties had changed.
Metzler-Arnold then taught for a short time at the University of St. Gallen (HSG). Between 2005 and 2010, she worked for Novartis in Paris and Basel, during which time she chaired Swiss Sports Aid for several years. She has been President of the Board of Trustees of the Swiss Guard since July 1, 2018.
In 2010, Metzler-Arnold founded a consulting and communications company, which she left in 2020. Today, she concentrates on administrative and foundation board mandates, as stated on her website. She will relinquish some of these mandates following her election as Swiss Olympic President, as she promised during her presentation to the delegates of the Swiss Sports Parliament on Friday.
Born in 1964, Metzler was the first woman to be elected to the Innerrhoden Standing Committee (government) in 1996. Born in Lucerne, she held the office of Frau Säckelmeister (Finance Director). She was elected to the District Court of Appenzell in 1992 and to the Innerrhoden Cantonal Court in 1995.
