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Paul Rechsteiner

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Paul Rechsteiner
Paul Rechsteiner (2019)
Member of the Council of States (Switzerland)
In office
12 December 2011 – 16 December 2022
ConstituencyCanton of St. Gallen
Succeeded byEsther Friedli
Member of the National Council (Switzerland)
In office
2 June 1986 – 11 December 2011
Personal details
Born
Paul Rechsteiner

(1952-08-26) August 26, 1952 (age 72)
St. Gallen, Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland
Political partySocial Democrat
OccupationAttorney, union leader and politician

Paul Rechsteiner[1] (/rəkstəənər/; reck-steener born 26 August 1952) is a Swiss attorney, union leader and former politician. He served as a member of the National Council (Switzerland) from 1986 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2022 as a member of the Council of States (Switzerland) for the Social Democratic Party for the St. Gallen constituency.[2] Between 1998 and 2018 he was the president of the Swiss Trade Union Federation (SGB).[3][4] He was among the most influential Swiss politicians.[5][6]

Early life and education

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Rechsteiner was born 26 August 1952 in St. Gallen, Switzerland. He was raised in a working-class family. His parents had modest occupations, his father being an unskilled worker, his mother being a cleaner.[7] He was a gifted student and was encouraged to study. He completed a licentiate in law at the University of St. Gallen and in Berlin.[8]

Career

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In 1980, Rechsteiner started to practice law as independent attorney in St. Gallen with a focus on Labour law, Criminal law and Social Security Law. From 1998 and 2011 he was the president of the Swiss Trade Union Federation (SGB).[9] From 1998 he has also been a member of the Paul Grüninger Foundation, which he chairs since 2019.[10]

Politics

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Between 1977 and 1984 he served on the city council of St. Gallen, and at the same time chaired the Social Democratic Party of St. Gallen. Between 1984 and 1986, Rechsteiner served on the Cantonal Council of St. Gallen, from 1986 to 2011 as a member of the National Council (Switzerland) and from 2011 to 2022 as a member of the Council of States (Switzerland).[11][12][13]

Personal life

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Rechsteiner is married and resides in St. Gallen.

References

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  1. ^ "Paul Rechsteiner à St. Gallen de Appenzell". Moneyhouse (in French). Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  2. ^ "Ratsmitglied ansehen". Federal Assembly. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  3. ^ "Equal Times - Paul Rechsteiner, Andreas Rieger, Renzo Ambrosetti". Equal Times. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  4. ^ Kuhn, Marie-Josée (2018-11-01). "Wie er wurde, was er ist » workzeitung.ch". workzeitung.ch (in German). Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  5. ^ Vögele, Adrian. "Paul Rechsteiner: Ein unerschrockener Kämpfer". St. Galler Tagblatt (in German). Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  6. ^ "Paul Rechsteiner – Eine zentrale Figur der Linken". Basler Zeitung (in German). 7 October 2022. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  7. ^ "Einer von ganz unten". Der Bund (in German). 9 March 2011. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  8. ^ "Biografie von Paul Rechsteiner". Paul Rechsteiner (in German). Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  9. ^ Gewerkschaftsbund, Schweizerischer (14 March 2018). "Paul Rechsteiner gibt SGB-Präsidium per Ende November ab". www.sgb.ch (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  10. ^ "Paul Grüninger Stiftung". Paul Grüninger Stiftung (in German). Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  11. ^ 10 vor 10 - Paul Rechsteiners lange Polit-Karriere - Play SRF (in German), retrieved 2023-04-30
  12. ^ Schmid, Stefan (29 June 2022). "Erneute Kandidatur? Paul Rechsteiner muss im Bundeshaus bleiben". St. Galler Tagblatt (in German). Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  13. ^ "36 Jahre Paul Rechsteiner – nun tritt der St. Galler Ständerat zurück". Watson (in German). Retrieved 2023-04-30.