Peter Bodenmann

Peter Bodenmann (born, 30 March 1952) is a Swiss lawyer, entrepreneur and former member of the National Council for the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (SP). He was the president of the SP between 1990 and 1997.

Early life and education He was born into a family with a political background in the Christian Democratic People's Party. After he graduated from the faculty of Law from the University of Zurich, he worked as an independent lawyer in Brig. Since his early years he was interested in leftwing politics and was one of the founders the political magazine Red Anneliese. In the same year he was the first politician of the SP to be elected to the State Council of Canton Valais. In March 1999 he resigned from the State council of Canton Valais and was succeeded by Thomas Burgener (SP).

Political positions During his tenure as the president of the SP, the party maintained clear leftwing politics and supported an eventual accession to the European Union and came first in the Federal elections of 1995.

Later activities After leaving politics in 1999, he became the owner of a Hotel in Brig. and has earned himself the nickname Oracle of Brig. Through his prominence as a former SP president and a political columnist, he maintained quite some influence in the politics of the SP. It was assumed that his political entourage supported Ursula Kochs reassignment of the presidency of the SP.