Lilian Uchtenhagen

Lilian Uchtenhagen (7 September 1928 – 6 September 2016) was a Swiss politician and economist. She was one of the ten first women elected to the National Council, the Swiss Parliament's house and first women to be a candidate to the Federal Council, the Government of Switzerland.

Early life and education

Uchtenhagen was born in 1928 at Olten in the Canton of Solothurn, the daughter of a businessman. She studied political science at the University of Basel and at the London School of Economics (LSE) and graduated in 1954 from the University of Basel. After women gained the right to vote in national elections in 1971, Uchtenhagen joined the Social Democratic Party (SP), but supported by the rivaling conservative parties.

Professional career Lilian Uchtenhagen served as the president of Zürich's Coop retail chain from 1981 to 1997, and was president of the charitable organization Swissaid from 1998 to 2003. credited with the initiating of the establishment of the national drug policy.