Jean-Pascal Delamuraz (1 April 1936, in

Vevey Vevey (; ; ) is a town in Switzerland in the Vaud, canton of Vaud, on the north shore of Lake Leman, near Lausanne. The German name Vivis is no longer commonly used. It was the seat of the Vevey (district), district of the same name until 200 ...

– 4 October 1998 in

Lausanne Lausanne ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest List of towns in Switzerland, city of the Swiss French-speaking Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud, in Switzerland. It is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway bet ...

) was a Swiss

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

and member of the

Swiss Federal Council The Federal Council is the federal cabinet of the Swiss Confederation. Its seven members also serve as the collective head of state and government of Switzerland. Since World War II, the Federal Council is by convention a permanent grand co ...

(1983–1998). He obtained a degree in

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...

in 1960 from the

University of Lausanne The University of Lausanne (UNIL; ) in Lausanne, Switzerland, was founded in 1537 as a school of Protestant theology, before being made a university in 1890. The university is the second-oldest in Switzerland, and one of the oldest universities ...

and became that same year deputy director of the

Swiss National Exhibition The Swiss National Exhibition is a periodically held national event showcasing Switzerland. History In Europe, exhibitions emerged in the late 18th century. Unlike Trade fair, fairs and Market (economics), markets, they served only partially c ...

(Expo 64). He was a member of the Lausanne City Parliament for ten years (1960–70). In 1970, he was elected to the Municipal Council in charge of Public works. After the election of Georges-André Chevallaz to the Federal Council, Delamuraz was appointed Mayor of Lausanne, and from 1981 to 1983 was a member of the Government of the Canton of

Vaud Vaud ( ; , ), more formally Canton of Vaud, is one of the Cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of Subdivisions of the canton of Vaud, ten districts; its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat ...

in charge of the Department of Agriculture, Industry and Trade. He belonged to the National Council from 1975 until 1983, and was for two years chairman of the control committee. He fought for Switzerland's membership of the

European Economic Area The European Economic Area (EEA) was established via the ''Agreement on the European Economic Area'', an international agreement which enables the extension of the European Union's single market to member states of the European Free Trade Asso ...

and of the

World Trade Organization The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland that regulates and facilitates international trade. Governments use the organization to establish, revise, and enforce the rules that g ...

, and played a decisive role in shaping the new Swiss agricultural policy. Delamuraz was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on 7 December 1983 and handed over office on 30 March 1998. He was affiliated to the Free Democratic Party and served as secretary general of its Vaud (cantonal) section. He started the bilateral negotiations that led to the adoption of seven agreements with the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

. During his time in office he held the following departments: * Federal Military Department (1984–1986) * Federal Department of Economic Affairs (1987–1998) He was also President of the Confederation twice, in 1989 and 1996. Delamuraz was elected honorary president of the New Swiss European Movement (Nomes). He died a few months after his resignation leaving a widow, Catherine Delamuraz, a son and a daughter.

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* * * Members of the Federal Council (Switzerland) Presidents of the Swiss Confederation Defence ministers of Switzerland 1936 births 1998 deaths Mayors of Lausanne University of Lausanne alumni People from Vevey Swiss Protestants 20th-century Swiss politicians Agriculture ministers of Switzerland {{Switzerland-mayor-stub