Legislative and local experience Joseph Deiss started his political career in 1981 as a representative of his party in the
Grand Council of Fribourg. In 1991 he became the president of the cantonal parliament for one year. Between 1982 and 1996 Deiss assumed the mayorship of his home village
Barberêche. In 1991 he was elected to the
National Council. From 1995 to 1996 Deiss was vice president of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council. In 1996 he was made president of the committee in charge of the total revision of the
Swiss Federal Constitution.
In the Federal Council Deiss was elected to the
Swiss Federal Council on 11 March 1999, along with his erstwhile colleague
Ruth Metzler. Together with Adalbert Durrer and Remigio Ratti, he was one of three official candidates proposed by the CVP/PDC for the seat of retiring Federal Councillor
Flavio Cotti. However, the election became a narrow contest between Deiss and
Peter Hess, who was favoured by many conservative representatives. Deiss eventually won after the sixth ballot, by 120 to 119 votes. In office, he has headed the following departments: •
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (1999–2002) •
Federal Department of Economic Affairs (2003-2006) After the failure of
Ruth Metzler to be re-elected in 2003, Metzler challenged him for his seat, but lost by 138 votes to 96. He was subsequently elected
President of the Confederation for 2004, one year earlier than would have been regular. He became the only remaining representative of the CVP in the Council. On 27 April 2006 Deiss rather unexpectedly resigned as Federal Councillor. The CVP's seat not being contested by the other parties, he was succeeded by the president of the CVP,
Doris Leuthard, who took over from Deiss on 1 August 2006. == Professional career ==