Christoph Blocher
Christoph Blocher (also spelled Christophe Blocher) (born 11 October 1940), Swiss politician, was born in Schaffhausen and has a doctorate in jurisprudence. He is married with three daughters and a son. He made a fortune in the chemical industry (Ems-Chemie). He has represented Zurich in the Swiss National Council since 1980 as a deputy of the Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei; SVP/UDC).Blocher built his political career through campaigning against Swiss membership of the European Union and against illegal immigration. As well as the People's Party, he leads a mass organisation, the Action for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland (Aktion für eine unabhängige und neutrale Schweiz). He has frequently been amalgamated with figures such as Jean-Marie Le Pen in France and Jorg Haider in Austria.
Blocher surprised many observers when the People's Party emerged as the largest party in the lower house of Swiss national parliament in the Swiss election of 19 October 2003. Blocher personally topped the poll in Zurich, and became Switzerland's most influential politician.
On 10 December 2003, Blocher was elected as member of the Federal Council, the Swiss seven-member executive. Thus, his party gained one of the two seats of the Christian Democratic People's Party (Ruth Metzler-Arnold).
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